


Just Dating

by Suneater (Gryn)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-03-23 03:58:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3753631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gryn/pseuds/Suneater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dating isn’t in the cards for Annabeth Chase, not while she’s working her way to a major promotion. Her friends, Jason and Piper, have other plans and decide to set her up on a blind date with Piper’s friend, Percy in order to boost her love life. The problem? The date doesn’t go that bad. Annabeth isn’t ready for a relationship, but she may have an arrangement that can work for both her and her date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> This is a multi chapter fic I'm working on with the help of the amazing chasexjackson (ananbeth on tumblr). It's based around the "fake dating" trope and I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> I will hopefully be updating every week, but I'm not exactly sure on what day yet.

Annabeth digs her fingers into her curls and stares at the report spread across her desk. The grammar is perfect, the figures are exact, and every name is spelled correctly. She glances at the clock on her desk that ticks down to doomsday. Her iron will crumbles long enough for her to grab her phone and punch in Piper's number. There's only one sharp ring before the other girl picks up. 

"Hey, Annabeth." There's an excited edge to her voice that pinches Annabeth's nerves.

"Piper, please tell me he's cancelled," she says with more pleading in her voice than she'd like. 

"Nope, and he's not going to. I threatened him with extreme bodily harm if he even tried," Piper says all too happily on the other end of the phone.  
"Piper, please, this is ridiculous." 

"No, ridiculous is that you haven't been on a date in nearly a year. You're going to show up at the restaurant and talk to him and, weirdly enough, you might have a good time." Annabeth digs her fingers into her scalp and lets her mind work. 

"Annabeth?" The phone crackles in her ear.

"Hold on, I'm thinking." 

"About what?"

"What I can blackmail you with to get out of this," Annabeth says seriously. 

"You've got nothing," Piper growls. "Besides you're too late, your escort will be at your door in three, two, one."

Annabeth glances up to an empty doorway and frowns. 

"Piper, I don't-"

"He's not there is he?" Piper asks and cuts her off. 

"Uh, no." Annabeth pushes back from her desk and stands. 

"Just, just wait a second." Annabeth pins the phone between her shoulder and cheek to shift papers around on her desk.

"Piper, how long am I going to have to wait?”

"Hey.” Jason answers her question by appearing in her doorway. 

"One," Piper says triumphantly. 

"Ha, ha." Annabeth pours all of her unease and reluctance into her tone. 

"Have fun, I'll call you later for the details." The call ends and Annabeth scrunches up her nose. 

"So, Piper sent you to make sure I get to the date?" Annabeth grabs what she needs off her desk and dumps it in her bag. 

"Percy is a really nice guy, and you need to do something other than work." Jason crosses his arms over his chest as he speaks. 

"So you and Piper think I should do Percy?" Her comment is bitter but she blames being tired and forced into this. 

"No, no!" Jason looks like he's just been accused of kicking a puppy. "We just think you'd have fun with him. I know you're proving you're better at this than everyone else in the building but you are going to work yourself to death,” he says gesturing to desk. 

"If you and Piper weren’t practically family-" 

"You'd destroy us and unravel our plan, I know." 

"Sometimes I regret being your best friend," Annabeth says and hoists her bag onto her shoulder. 

"That's not true so I'll let it go." Jason turns to let her pass and gestures for her to lead. "Besides I think Piper is beating you out for position of best friend." 

"She's already your girlfriend and you've abandoned me to spend all your time with her, now she gets best friend too?" Annabeth says only half-teasingly. 

"First off, you abandoned me. Second, yes. Third, I guess this means you're not going to be happy to hear I'm going to ask her to marry me." He finishes with a nervous laugh and Annabeth turns on him. 

"You're what?" She throws a half hearted punch at his shoulder. "That's how you tell me? Four years you two have been dancing around each other and that's how you tell me?" Annabeth wraps him in a hug before he can respond. 

"So, is that a congratulations?" 

"Absolutely, but I'm going with you to get the ring," she says matter-of-factly. 

"How do you know I haven't already gotten it?" Jason pouts. 

"Because you're smart enough to know I want to be there, besides you're terrified." Annabeth stops as soon as she's said it and sees the worry on his face.

"Of course I'm terrified," he mumbles and she squeezes his arm.

"She's going to say yes. I'm sure of that, and you know I'm always right." Annabeth throws a softer punch and grins at him. 

"You are always right," he says with a shrug.

"Now, let's talk proposal ideas." Annabeth links her arm through his and pulls him down the hallway towards the elevator. 

Annabeth uses the walk to the restaurant as a chance to grill Jason on his plans which are a bit lacking but he's excited. She throws him a couple general ideas but doesn't push anything. Jason isn't a complete dunce and whatever he comes up with will amaze Piper. 

It's Jason who stops first in front of the large window looking into the restaurant and Annabeth positions herself slightly behind him. A handful of tables have patrons seated around them, talking and eating in the dimmed lighting, but most are empty and the place has a half-haunted feeling. It doesn’t take her long to pick out the one guy sitting alone off to the right. Annabeth feels the same half worried look that appears just before he gives her the speech. 

"Annabeth," he starts softly. "You know I love you-"

"Like a sister," Annabeth continues for him. "And you're just trying to do what's best for me and sometimes I need to get out of my own head and that's your job, because what else is family for." She rolls her eyes and doesn't bother to hide it. 

"I guess I give that talk to you a lot, but I mean it." The concern in his words manages to get to her and she sighs softly. 

"What if he's a jerk?"

"Then you'll tear him apart." Jason says calmly.

"What if he tries something?"

"Then you'll tear him apart," he repeats. "Look, if you don't like him you never have to see him again. There are no strings attached to this and even if you do like him that doesn't mean you two have to rush out and get married. Weigh the options here Annabeth, what do you have to lose?" Jason turns and faces her while he waits for a response. 

"Why is he here?" She asks bluntly and stares into the restaurant. 

"Because he's desperately lacking in the romance department, like you, and needs some experience so Piper suggested she set him up with you. And I now realize that’s kind of like teaching a kid to swim by throwing him into the ocean." Annabeth glances sideways and notices Jason's furrowed brow. 

Annabeth mulls over her options; she could run and blow the guy off but that means dealing with an irate Piper and Jason, she could feign and emergency part way through and bail which still leaves her with an irate Piper and Jason, or she could suck it up and spend a few hours with this guy. 

"I'll give him one chance," she mutters and Jason's arm snakes around her. 

"Thank you, I honestly do think you'll like him. And remember to take it easy on him." Annabeth nods and gives Jason a hug goodnight. 

Jason tucks his hands into his pockets and heads towards home. Annabeth watches him until he's turned the corner before moving back to the window and finally scrutinizing her date. He’s tucked against one of the walls pushing the wedge of lemon in his water around with is straw. From what she can make out he’s got raven black hair and poor posture but he’s dressed nice. The glare off the window makes it hard to pick out any real detail but he seems harmless enough. 

She tells herself this is going to be simple, that it’s one date and then it’s over. She’ll make small talk, ask him generic first date questions, answer his generic first date questions, maybe get a dessert to make the night worth it, go home, and never hear from him again. Admittedly it’s not the most optimistic outlook but she’s not exactly a willing participant in this pseudo-science experiment Piper and Jason have contrived. Really it’s him that’s getting the short end of the stick being set up with a grouchy spinster but that’s not on her. He can blame the matchmakers for pushing her into this, even if she’s trying to torpedo the date.

Annabeth gnaws on the inside of her cheek for a second before squaring her shoulders and heading inside. She brushes past the hostess, winds her way between empty tables and stops a few feet from him. She has to clear her throat to get his attention and he lifts his eyes slowly from the table. Piper must have given him a description of her because he jumps to his feet, nearly knocking his chair over in the process, and brushes at the wrinkles out of his shirt. 

“Hi,” he says in a soft croak. “I’m Percy.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say thank you for the amazing responses. I still haven't settled on a day for posting new chapters but I figured I'd put this one up today.

Not bad. It’s her first judgement, and a quick one but Annabeth prides herself on reading people. The first day he met Piper Annabeth called her and Jason falling for each other from a mile off, so she doubts she's wrong now. 

Now that she's standing in front of him it's much easier to look him over. His collar is stiff and there are still creases in it from where it was folded, giving her the impression it's new and yet to be washed. The knot of his tie has wrinkles that look like he’s re-tied it several times, he's missed a loop with his belt, and one side of his shirt has come untucked from his pants. His hair is a mop of unruly locks that look like there's been an attempt to tame them with water or spit but one that's ultimately failed. There's also an energy about him, one that makes her feel like he'll spend the night tapping his foot or drumming his fingertips on the table. What grabs her attention the most are his striking green eyes, like the waters of the ocean after a storm, and Annabeth mentally chides Piper for not using this as her selling point. Piper knows all too well Annabeth has a weakness for green eyes. 

"Hi, Percy, I'm Annabeth." She holds out a hand and he gives it a tentative shake. 

Annabeth reaches for her chair but he steps around the table and pulls it out for her. The gesture throws her off for a second before she composes herself and holds her skirt to her legs as she sits. She purses her lips and tries to gage if the chivalry thing is an act. 

"So," Percy moves to his seat and drops down heavily. "What has Piper told you about me?" 

"Trying to figure out what promises she’s made?" 

"Trying to figure out how much she played me up," he says with a self-deprecating shrug.

"She hasn't told me that much, just that your name is Percy and you're a really great guy." 

"Wow, remind me to thank her for the ringing endorsement," Percy says sarcastically and Annabeth's mouth twitches for a second. 

"What did she tell you about me?" Annabeth asks and studies his reaction

Percy's face turns a shade paler and he glances up at her before looking away quickly. 

"Honestly?” he glances at her and she nods for him to continue. “She told me you might come off a bit strong but I should just remind you of what I do and flash my eyes at you." 

Annabeth rolls her eyes and stuffs down the blush of embarrassment. 

"Well what do you do?" she asks to shift the conversation as quickly as possible. 

"I'm a paramedic but I just got accepted to the fire department," he says with an edge of what's either nervousness or humility. 

"A green-eyed firefighter, no wonder she didn't tell me, I wouldn't have believed her," Annabeth mutters and Percy furrows his brow. 

"What was that?" His fingers hold still for a second and his eyes narrow.

"I'm wondering how a firefighter and part time paramedic knows a fashion blogger," she says with a straight face. 

"We met in high school and have been friends since. What about you and Jason?" 

"Friends since college, we were in the same orientation group and ended up dorming across the hall from one another.” Percy nods but doesn’t say anything. 

There’s a moment of first-date awkward silence that settles over them and Annabeth feels the weight of it on her shoulders. She fights the urge to put him out of his misery and say something, instead she’ll let him bring something up. 

“So, uhm, do you, uh-” He glances like there’s something nearby that will save him. “Do you work far from here?” 

By the time he gets the question out his face is bright red and his eyes are wide, making him look like he’s just finished a dead sprint from a man eating lion. A pang of guilt flares in her chest and she reverts her decision on making him carry the conversation.

“Not too far, just a couple blocks. What about you? Paramedics run out of some kind of station don’t they?” Annabeth runs her fingers along the edge of her knife. 

“Yeah, it’s a couple miles from here.” He doesn’t add anything else and Annabeth feels the conversation stalling. 

For a second it looks like Percy will say something but his lips move silently and he frowns. Annabeth figures he’s trying to remember a conversational topic someone told him to bring up but it’s slipping through his fingers. 

They’re spared from having to force conversation for a minute by the arrival of their waiter who asks if he can take their drinks. Annabeth orders a glass of wine and Percy gets a coke which makes the waiter turn up his nose and Annabeth smile. 

"Guess he's more of a Pepsi guy," Percy grumbles as the waiter walks away. 

"I think he's more of a this-place-is-too-classy-for-soda guy." Annabeth keeps her tone even and watches for his reaction.

"Oh, yeah I guess, it’s just that I don't really drink." The words feel loaded with a history a little too heavy for a first date. 

Annabeth decides to aim for safer waters. 

"What made you get into paramedics and fire-fighting?" 

"I think I'd die if I was stuck behind a desk, that and I've always wanted to help people." His face stays serious but Annabeth can hear his leg scraping against his seat as it bounces. 

"There are an infinite number of ways to help people, why putting your life on the line?" She waits for the macho spiel about doing things, saving people, feeling the rush of adrenaline and danger, or feeling the masses pour praise onto you. 

"It's an active job, it feels amazing helping people and the uniforms are cool, but really I'm not sure I'd be good at anything else. I never did great in school and when I graduated I didn’t have much direction but I knew I wanted to do something that mattered and I kind of wound up here." There's a tint of red on his cheeks and Annabeth can't help but wonder what tank this guy was grown in. 

A humble firefighter with paramedic training who genuinely wants to save kittens from trees and has green eyes to boot. He probably gets along fabulously with is mom and can cook. 

"Piper said you're an architect at a local firm," he says, pulling at his tie. 

"Yeah, I've been there over a year now and I'm hoping to move up to project manager soon." Annabeth pinches the stem of her wine glass and spins it lazily. 

The waiter returns with their drinks and sets them on the table. He asks if they're ready to order or if they need more time and Annabeth realizes she hasn't looked over the menu at all. 

"I think we need more time," Percy says with a weak smile. 

The waiter gives them a stiff nod and takes off. Percy frowns as he watches the guy leave but quickly turns to his menu. 

"I've never actually been here before," Percy admits. 

"Neither have I, it's been on my list of places to eat but I've never gotten around to it." 

"You have a list of places you plan to eat at?" His voice is a little too skeptical and she flashes him a look. 

"Yes, I have a lot of lists," she says defensively. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything. I just don't think of stuff like that but I guess I mostly just eat at the same places." He flicks his thumb against the edge of the menu repeatedly while he speaks. 

"I'm guessing those places have more casual dress requirements," she says and looks at his shirt. 

"Oh, yeah, well it's normally when I get off a late shift or something so, yeah." Percy's head drops and Annabeth decides she's being a bit cold. "I cook on my days off or when I can get home early enough." Percy's voice is quiet. 

"What can you make?" she asks and pushes curiosity into her voice.

"A few things, I make pretty decent pizza, and pancakes, I can make them for you." There's a complete silence that falls between them as the words settle in and Annabeth's eyes widen. 

Percy's mouth opens and then closes and his cheeks go red. 

"I didn't mean- I'm not implying- another time- the pancakes I mean." 

It looks like every ounce of blood is in his face and neck. Annabeth gives him a smile and hides her face behind the menu and keeps the laugh from slipping out. 

They’re given a reprieve from the awkwardness with the appearance of the waiter who looks at them demandingly. Annabeth glances between him, Percy, and her menu. 

"Uh, so what would you recommend?" Percy buys them a little more time.

The waiter rattles off their specials and adds in a couple personal recommendations which seems to overwhelm Percy and he frantically flips the menu back and forth. 

“I’ll have the Carbonara,” Annabeth says and holds out her menu for the waiter. 

“Uh, yeah, I’ll have that too.” Percy eagerly hands over the menu and takes a deep breath. 

Annabeth watches him for a second and tries to figure out the number of dates he’s ever been on. Judging by his lack of solid conversation and confidence it can’t be that many which feels like a waste. He’s an attractive guy with an interesting job and he seems kind enough, but it radiates off him that he’s uncomfortable and has no idea what he’s doing.

"So," Percy clears his throat, "working on anything interesting?" 

"Just some small stuff right now, a few renovations and remodels but I'd like to design my own building one day." 

“That’s cool.” 

The conversation stalls again and Annabeth wants to groan. He could talk about anything, bring up anything and try to keep the conversation at least moving until they can find something in common to talk about but he’s apparently happy to sit in silence. Still, Annabeth can’t say that would be the worst first date. 

"What would it look like?" he asks and Annabeth stares at him for a second. 

It’s a brilliant question but an answer he may not be prepared for. Percy doesn’t know that Annabeth’s been dreaming of this since she was three, that she’s been sketching buildings for years, or that she asks herself this question every night. 

"I'm sure you're not that interested in architecture," she says to give him a chance to close the door he's opened before the flood hits him. 

"No, I'm really interested. I mean a building in New York, that would be insanely impressive and I'd like to be able to point it out and say I went on a date with the woman who designed it." Percy's words sound completely genuine. 

"Well," Annabeth says and smiles. "It depends on what the building is going to be, but if I can there's some things I'd like to incorporate."   
Percy nods attentively and waits for her to go on. 

Saying the conversation from there on is bumpy would be an understatement, it’s more like they’re driving down a washboard at five miles an hour, but it at least moves. They jump from one topic to another and while Percy may not always have something to say he asks questions and listens intently. Annabeth rattles on about designs she's proposed, co-workers she'd prefer moved a couple offices away and more while he listens. In return she listens while he gushes about his mom, another item off the checklist, and recounts interesting stories from working as a paramedic. 

It’s Percy that actually brings up his amusement at being forced into this matchmaking by Piper and Jason. Which just ends up turning into dishing out dirt on their respective friends. Something both of them can get good mileage out of and both dive into. After that there isn’t a single lull in the conversation. 

"Piper is laughing so hard at me with one arm covered in confetti she doesn't see what I've done to her locker," Percy grins wickedly as he tells his story.

Annabeth nearly chokes on her dessert and feels the burn in her cheeks from story after story of Piper's embarrassing moments as a teenager. They're both leaned in over the table and she can smell his cologne which reminds her summers spent by the ocean in California. 

"And when she opens it the air horn goes off and she freaks out, jumps three feet straight up, and lands on her butt. The entire hall stops to stare at her and every teacher's head pops out of their classrooms. We both got detention but it was completely worth it." 

They break into another round of laughter and Annabeth dabs at a tear in the corner of her eye. 

"So were there anymore pranks after that or had you two learned your lesson?" Annabeth asks, breathy from laughing. 

"Learned our lesson? No way, we just had to be more subtle about it. I switched her ringtone to fart noises and she sewed Juicy on the butt of my PE shorts." Percy grins and Annabeth can't help the way her eyes linger on his lips for a second or the image of Percy’s butt in short-shorts that flashes in mind. 

The guy is her checklist come to life. He's nice and dedicated and sounds loyal to a fault, he can make her laugh and doesn't back down from her but seems to have the sense to know when he's wrong and she's right. As much as she's going to hate admitting it to Piper she's had a good time and genuinely likes Percy. The issue is that Percy seems to like her and that doesn't fit her plan. 

Percy's eyes move to something behind her making his eyebrows furrow and face drop. 

"I think they're closing up," he says solemnly. 

Annabeth looks over her shoulder at the few staff that are left. Most of the lights have been turned off and tables are being wiped down. 

"Looks like it," she says and turns back to him. 

They stand and Annabeth grabs her jacket off the back of her chair but Percy takes it from her and helps her put it on. She hides a smile and ignores the rush of warmth where his hands touch her shoulders.

"Thank you." He nods like it's nothing as they step out onto the cold and quiet street. 

Percy glances up and down the street and jams his hands into his pockets. He rocks back on forth on the balls of his feet and looks anywhere but at her. A sinking feeling grabs her stomach and pulls hard. The question that's going to come, that he's building up to right now, is expected but she hasn't picked exactly how to let him down easy.   
Annabeth has enjoyed the date and will begrudgingly admit she was wrong before, but that doesn't change her plan or the fact that they're in two completely different places. The light in his eyes and the nervousness written on every inch of his face right now tells her all she needs to know about where he thinks this is going. 

"So I had a really great time tonight," Percy says and waits for her to respond. 

She holds back. There's another option she's just come up with, and it's a bit unorthodox but it might work. It could also fail spectacularly and that's what's holding her back. Either way she needs to defuse this and ease him into her proposition. 

"Percy I don't want you to get the wrong idea," Annabeth says quickly. 

"Oh, okay." Percy looks like a kid that's just been told Christmas isn't happening this year. 

"No, Percy listen." She shakes her head. "I had a great time too but I'm not looking for anything really serious. I'm focused on work right now and I really want to get a promotion this year and it's not fair to you, or anyone really, to drag you along." 

"Yeah, no, that makes sense." He nods his head vigorously but purses his lips. 

"But I'll make you a deal.” Percy’s face softens and he looks up at her. “I'll teach you how to date." She squares her shoulders and searches his eyes. 

"What?" 

Annabeth squares her shoulders and drops her voice.

"No offense but you didn't seem to exactly know what you were doing. So I'll give you pointers, show you places to take a girl that aren't hotdog carts and hole-in-the-wall pizza places." 

"Hey," he groans defensively. 

“So you’re saying you chose the restaurant?” She raises her eyebrows and waits.

“Well, okay, no I didn’t but that doesn't mean I couldn’t have,” he says defensively. 

"That’s what I thought. Look at it this way, it'll give you a no pressure opportunity."

He stares at her a moment and scrunches up his face.

"What do you get out of it?" 

Annabeth lets out a soft sigh.

"It keeps Jason and Piper off my back. They're afraid I'll drown myself in work and never socialize. This way we both win." She feels a bubble of tension that waits to pop. 

"Okay," he says slowly. "I guess I really could use the help, and this way I won't have to hear my mom say I wouldn't know what to do with a great girl if I met one." 

"Perfect." Annabeth smiles and holds out her hand. "I think this is going to work out well." 

Percy tentatively takes her hand and shakes it. 

"If you say so," he says with more than a hint of skepticism.


	3. Chapter 3

Annabeth can count the number of times she's seen Piper wake up before seven on one hand. So when her phone plays Piper's selected ring tone of “Hollaback Girl” and not her normal default alarm she jumped.

"I'm surprised you waited until this morning to call me," Annabeth says, skipping a normal greeting since it's Piper.

"Jason took my phone, then I tried to seduce him to get it back... it's a long story." The frustration is more than apparent in Piper’s tone.

Annabeth rolls her eyes and pushes herself out of bed.

"Remind me to thank him,"  Annabeth says with a muted groan as she stretches.

"So how'd it go? Second date? We should get you an actual date outfit not just work clothes, but we'll deal with that later." Piper talks so fast the sentences merge together.

"Why don't we have lunch later and you can grill me then?" Annabeth bends at the waist, reaching for her toes and letting out a muffled moan.

"Oh my god," Piper gasps. "Is he still there? Yeah girl!"

"No,” Annabeth says quickly and stands up straight. “But even as a morning person I don't have the energy to deal with this right now."

"Fine, enjoy your run," Piper says, her voice loaded with disappointment. "See you here at twelve?"

"Can you make it until then?" Annabeth teases.

"I’ll suffer through,” Piper says melodramatically.  

They exchange a clipped goodbye before hanging up and Annabeth gets ready for her morning run. Saturdays are her days to run errands and take care of the little tasks that make up the ever growing list on her fridge, but first comes her run. She pulls on her shoes and stretches her legs on the elevator ride down from her apartment.

She keeps her pace easy, aiming for a longer run and prepping for the conversation with Piper. Five miles later she steps back into the elevator and checks her phone. She flips through the junk and work emails and opens the new messages from an unknown number.

**Hey was wondering when we could meet up again**

**It's Percy btw**

**Should I have waited the 24 hrs or whatever to text you?**

Annabeth shakes her head but smiles, she has to give him credit for at least being eager.

_You may want to start off with your name first next time, and does Tuesday work for you?_ She shoots the text off just as the elevator reaches her floor. Annabeth leaves her phone in her living room while she showers and when she comes back to it another message is waiting for her.

**Sorry yeah that works great**  

_I'll text you the time and address_ , she sends back and checks the time.

Lunch with Piper isn't for a few hours and Annabeth sets to work knocking things off her to-do list, though Percy lingers in the back of her mind. There's something about him that's stuck with her, but she can't figure out if it's in a fond-memory type of way or more of a stomach-bug-that-won't-go-away type thing. Either way, her mind plays the date on a loop, like a movie in the background while she does her chores.

On her list of things she gets checked off is setting up a reservation for two under the name Percy at a good first date spot she knows of. It's the last thing she gets done before she has to head out for her appointment with the Inquisition Piper has prepared.

The walk over to Jason and Piper's isn't long but it gives her time to think about the date again and turn it over in the light of day. The start was rough, well a lot of it was rough, but Percy really is nice and easy enough to talk once you get him out of his shell. The guy is definitely out of his element with her and, while that strokes her ego, he could use to relax a little. By the end of the night she was enjoying herself and Percy seemed to be having a good time too. It just took a common interest to get things feeling natural. She decides that will be the focus of their first practice date. Now she just has to come up with an explanation for all of this to Piper.

Annabeth only has a chance to knock once before Piper flings the door open and grabs her by the arm. Annabeth uses her free hand to wave to Jason while she's pulled towards the couch. Piper pushes her down and drops down right beside her.

"Tell me what you thought, come on." Piper stares at her wide eyed and excited.

"Percy is really great. I get what Jason said about needing some practice in the romantic department, but the date was okay." Annabeth shrugs and leans back into the couch.

Piper flashes Jason a look that Annabeth imagines means he’ll pay for his comment about Percy’s lack of romantic skills later before turning back to Annabeth.

"Yeah I know that, but what do you think? Does he have potential?" Piper slowly leans forward as she speaks.

Annabeth sees exactly where Piper is aiming but doesn't want to get into that discussion again.

"Piper, I don't need to find a husband and settle down and have kids and be the perfect house wife," Annabeth says bitterly, tilting slightly away from her friend.

"I'm not saying you do! I'm saying you need to find someone to be a giant grouch with though." Piper keeps her voice level but Annabeth hears the steel in it.

"Maybe I don't, I can be a grouch on my own for a while." Annabeth turns slightly away from Piper and crosses her arms.

"Annabeth, be honest with me, are you really happy right now?" Piper reaches out and puts her hand on Annabeth’s arm.

"Piper I have a great job and-"

"Are you really happy?" Piper says over her and squeezes gently.

Annabeth glares at her friend who glares back. The fear is visible in Piper's eyes but there's also determination and Piper can be plenty stubborn when she wants to be.

"You know the plan, I'm not deviating from it,” Annabeth says firmly.

"I also know Percy is your walking checklist, and yeah he isn't what you'd see yourself with but that's good. He's not the typical hot nerd type you hang out with but he's going to push you and make you be you." Piper softens her tone and Annabeth relaxes a little.

"Hey wait, were you talking about me with the nerd comment?" Jason's complaint makes Piper roll her eyes.

"Hot nerd, sweetie. But yes." Piper flashes him a flirty smile and Annabeth watches Jason's hurt melt.

"Uhg," Annabeth groans. "The two of you." She leans her head back to rest it on the couch but watches Piper out of the corner of her eye.

"You could be grossing us out with your own hottie, maybe a hottie that's also a firefighter with a tight butt," Piper says with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"He does have a pretty nice butt," Jason mutters and Annabeth's eyebrows knit together.

"See even Jason agrees!" Piper nearly bounces into Annabeth's lap. "So? Another date maybe?"

Annabeth looks between Piper's ever-eager puppy eyes and Jason's reassuring smile. Her muscles tense and her mind gets ready to start putting out the fires as soon as she admits the truth. If she plays her cards right she can swing Jason to her side and divert some of Piper's attention away from herself.

"There's already a second date planned." The words come out confident and assured.

Piper immediately squints and searches Annabeth's eyes.

"That's awesome!" Jason says with a grin that slowly fades as he looks between Annabeth and Piper in their silent war. "Pipes?"

"What's the catch?" Piper asks cooly.

"It's not exactly a real date.” The muscles in her shoulders tense, her eyes locked on her lap. “It's more of an instructional date."

"A what? What does that mean?" Jason crosses the room to sit down on the coffee table with a frown.

"It means I'm helping him with his dating, showing him where to go, giving him tips on what to do. Teaching him." Annabeth directs her words towards Jason but watches for how Piper reacts.

Piper has stayed quiet so far and the silence is weighing on Annabeth. Years of friendship has taught Annabeth silence isn’t a good sign from Piper.  

“So this is good?” Jason asks like he’s standing in a minefield and probing for a way out.

“Technically it’s what you guys want, I’m going out and not spending all my time at work.” Annabeth uses her best I-know-what-I’m-doing voice and keeps her shoulders squared.

There’s a flicker in Piper’s eyes for a second and Annabeth braces for the torrent of complaints but there’s nothing. Piper stays silent a little longer and Jason starts to look like he wants to crawl out of his skin.

“So, you’re just, what? Stringing him along?” Piper asks, breaking the silence.

Piper’s eyes are cold and bore into Annabeth, the air in the room feels like a wet blanket around her.

“I’m not stringing him along, I’m helping him out,” Annabeth growls back.

Jason inches away from them with a look of terror in his eyes.

“Helping him out until he falls for you and you rip out his heart out,” Piper snaps.

“I won’t let it get that far, if Percy starts to get too attached I’ll let him down easy.” Annabeth holds her head high using a confidence she doesn’t actually feel.

“And then that’s it? Percy is out on his ass because he started to fall for you?” Piper turns away from Annabeth suddenly.

“He’s not helpless and I’ve told him exactly what this is,” Annabeth narrows her eyes and turns away from her friend.

Jason looks between them like a kid caught between arguing parents that can’t decide if the arguing is his fault or not.

“I know what I’m doing, Piper. Trust me.” Annabeth doesn’t look at the other girl as she speaks.

“If you say so.”

“So are we okay?” Annabeth asks cooly.

“Yeah,” Piper says quickly, her shoulders dropping slightly.

The tension leaves Jason but there’s still something in the way Piper holds herself. Annabeth feels a splinter of doubt lodge in the back of her mind, she gets the feeling this isn’t over yet.

 

* * *

 

“Well, don’t we look nice?” Annabeth asks coyly.

Percy spins to face her and cracks a nervous smile.

“Thanks, Jason let me borrow his sports coat,” Percy pulls at the lapels of the jacket as he speaks.

Annabeth looks over the outfit he’s wearing for their date. He has a checkered white and blue shirt with a dark blue sports coat over it, he’s also traded out slacks for a pair of dark jeans that fit him perfectly and it all works. He still has his scruffy, unkempt edge but there’s no attempt at hiding it. This Percy already feels more confident and Annabeth is having a hard time keeping her eyes from lingering.

“Well, it was a good choice,” Annabeth nods as she looks him over, hitching her purse higher on her shoulder. “Shall we?” She uses her free hand to point at the door.

“After you.” Percy steps to the door quickly and opens it for her.

“Good start,” she says as she steps around him

Percy beams at the compliment.

“So how exactly is this going to work?” he asks nervously and rubs the back of his neck. “Am I going to get graded or are there going to be like quizzes? Because I’ll need a note sheet if that’s happening.” The worry in voice makes Annabeth laugh.

“I’ll more of coach you through it, give you objectives and areas of improvements. I could come up with quizzes if you really want.”

“Yeah, let’s not,” he says quickly.

“Shame, I was already working on a pop-quiz for later.”

“Oh god,” he groans and Annabeth laughs again.

“You must have loved school.”

“Loved isn’t exactly the word I’d use, loathed is better, not as good as desperately wanted to burn it down, but that’s more than one word so what can you do?” Percy shrugs and glances around the restaurant. “So…” he trails off and looks back to her.

“Reservation is under your name,” Annabeth says and nods towards the hostess.

“Right, so I should get us our table,” he says but doesn’t move.

“Sure, or we could stand here all night, the draft is quite nice,” Annabeth says in her fake-happy voice.

“Wow, sarcasm, already?” Percy shakes his head and slips through the handful of people waiting around for tables to get to the hostess.

He talks to the hostess for a minute before turning and waving Annabeth over. She falls into step behind Percy and they follow the hostess to a booth, he lets her pick her side before sliding in across from her. The waitress hands them menus and gives them the name of their waiter before heading off. She leaves them to the slowly building silent tension.

Percy sits across the table from her staring like he’s trying to read her mind and since he hasn’t started a conversation she’s guessing it’s not working.

“This is normally when you’d try and make conversation,” she informs him.

“Why do I have to start the conversation?” He frowns.

“Because I’m trying to figure you out and expect you to start the conversation, I can do that because I’m the girl. Also, you’re not allowed to talk about Piper or Jason, that’s too easy.” She flashes a cheesy smile and looks over the menu.

“Fine,” he says and slumps a little in his seat.

“Sit up, it gives the impression you’re really listening,” Annabeth instructs.

“Would me listening give the impression I’m really listening?”

“Not as well as you sitting up,” Annabeth shoots back and eyes him for a second.

Percy straightens and even leans forward a bit while searching for something to say.

“So, do you come here often?” Percy grins like an idiot.

“Only when I’m being dragged out on dates with weird, dark-haired guys,” Annabeth deadpans and doesn’t bother looking up from her menu.

“Ha ha,” Percy grumbles and it’s Annabeth’s turn to smile.

“Try asking how my day was.”

“Okay.” Percy squirms in his seat for a second. “How was your day?” His tone is curious and he keeps his eyes on her after the question.

“It was good.” She gives him a reassuring smile. “Closed on a new project and got assigned to pitch the final concept.”

“That’s amazing, congratulations!” Annabeth blushes at the excitement in his words.

“Thank you,” she says and ducks her face.

“What now?”

Her excitement deflates a little but she reminds herself that this is why she’s here. Annabeth takes a deep breath and looks back up at him.

“You keep the conversation going, ask questions and make comments that will get me to open up more.”

Percy stares at the table, his face scrunched up in thought and Annabeth finds it hard to tear her eyes away.  

“So this contract, what’s the company do?”

“Good,” Annabeth says. “It’s the New York headquarters for a telecommunications conglomerate. They own cellphone towers and some of the smaller cell companies.” Annabeth looks at him expectantly and gestures for him to keep going.

“What- what are they looking for in their new building?”

“They want something very modern but not too out there, typical business building with lots of glass and brushed steel.” She purposely gives him little to work with and waits to see how he handles it.

“Uh, have you done a lot of work like this?” Annabeth grins and feels the swell of pride from having her student pass his first test.

“Very nice question.” Percy grins at the praises and sits a little taller.”Yeah, we’ve done quite a few similar things.”

For the most part Percy does well from there on out. There’s a handful of times that Annabeth has to guide him away from certain topics or towards others but being open with him makes everything easy enough. Percy also never takes any of her comments to heart and makes a real effort.

He tells her stories from incidents at work and she prompts him to talk about how he felt during each step and less about the blood and gross stuff. Percy complains that those are the cool parts until she gives him a look and he quickly changes his attitude.

By the time the check comes the conversation is easy and Annabeth is only slightly wishing she was at home with her book.

“So, how’d I do?” Percy says and reaches for the check.

“What do you mean?” Annabeth is faster and grabs the check first.

“Hey!” Percy protests but Annabeth puts the money for her half of the bill in the little black case and slides it over to him.

“I’m paying my half, and what do you mean how’d you do?” She rests her elbows on the table and watches him.

“I mean on the date, how’d I do?” He says sourly and pulls out his wallet.

Annabeth chuckles which makes him look up and stare blankly.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s cute you think the date is over, that’s all.”

“Wait I’m still getting graded? That’s not fair!” He puts the rest of the bill down and pushes the check towards the edge of the table.

“Percy, the grading doesn’t end when the date is over, which it’s not by the way, this is an all inclusive deal. It covers texts and phonecalls, the whole shebang.” Annabeth grabs her purse and scoots out of the booth.

“Everything? All the time? Oh gods,” Percy groans and follows after her.

Annabeth waits until they’re out of the restaurant before she gives out her next piece of wisdom.

“The date is over when we say goodnight.” She skips over his complaints and continues her lesson. “So we’ve just had a nice date but it’s not exactly memorable yet, now you have to close on getting the third date.”

“Okay, well how exactly am I supposed to do that, I mean I’m guessing if I tried to kiss you-”

“I’d deck you,” she says seriously.

“See, I’m not getting the whole experience, I should get a refund.”

“A refund? I’m not a hooker!” She debates decking him anyways.

“I know!” He steps back and puts up his hands so Annabeth decides against hitting him. “I’m just saying we’re getting into a grey area here.”

“Okay, so show me your best move, do everything you would leading up to kissing me and we’ll see if you’ve got game.”

“I’ve got game,” Percy says defensively.

“Good, then bring it.” Annabeth gives him a cocky grin and waits.

Percy nods for a second before taking a deep breath and letting it out. She’s about to ask if this is his game when he takes a step closer to her and they’re only a few inches apart.

“I had a really great time tonight.” His voice is soft and she has to lean in slightly to hear him better.

Being this close to him she can smell his cologne, making her want to close her eyes and take a deep breath but that would mean looking away from his eyes. In the warm light given off by the streetlights his eyes have turned a golden-green and pull her in.

“I’d really like to do it again soon,” he continues and reaches up to brush back a curl of hair. “This is when I’d kiss you,” he whispers, his breath washes across her cheek and her eyes drift to his lips.

“Not bad, Jackson.” Annabeth looks up into his eyes and ignores the heat in her neck or the smell of him that washing over her.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Except you’re shaking like a leaf.” Annabeth grabs his hand that’s still half raised and they both look at his trembling fingers.

“Okay but that’s not fair! You’re terrifying and I was afraid you’d punch me anyways,” Percy protests.

“Maybe I still will.” Percy looks at her in horror and his eyes flick between hers.

“You wouldn’t,” he says, his eyes narrow and he searches her face.

“Try me,” she shoots back.

There’s a weird moment between them where she holds onto his arm and can’t stop thinking about actually kissing him. While she can’t say he’s her typical type he’s tall, dark, and gorgeous which is a fact not lost on the part of her brain that keeps track of how long it’s been since she’s kissed a guy.

“You’d actually do it wouldn’t you?” He asks and Annabeth buries that thought.

“You’ll never know,” she says dropping his arm and stepping towards the curb.

Annabeth hails the next cab and waves goodbye to him over her shoulder as she ducks into it. The warmth of Percy’s gaze follows her as the car pulls away and the feeling of standing so close to him lingers the entire ride home.

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little late in the day. Thank you for all the comments and kudos, I appreciate every one of them!

Annabeth twists her slowly cooling cup of coffee in her hands. There’s something cliche about sitting in a coffee shop staring out the window and watching the sun rise but here she is anyways. Jason will be here in a few minutes, giving her a little more time to watch the colors reflect off darkened windows across the street. These once a week early morning meetings started after Annabeth graduated and moved out of their shared apartment. She and Jason use it as a chance to catch up without Piper pestering them or making jokes about her ‘pair of sexy blonds.’ Though Piper says they really just use it as a chance to indulge their inner nerd.

Someone tries to pull her coffee from her hand and Annabeth snaps out of her train of thought, ready to snap at whoever decided to bother her. She’s stopped by a pair of electric blue eyes and a smirk.

“You were really tuned out there,” he says, slowly pulling his hand from the cup.

“Sorry, just thinking about things.”

“About Percy?”

Annabeth grimaces and stares at her cup. She and Jason have been honest and upfront with each other since their mutual meltdown finals week of their first semester. After being able to share about the pressures from their respective parents it never felt to Annabeth like she had to hide anything from him.

"Mostly, work too, and your engagement." She gives Jason a grin. “Speaking of which how’s that going?”

Jason’s face turns serious and she sees the muscles in his arms tense as he grips the arm of his chair.

“Well, I’ve got the ring figured out but I have no idea how I’m going to propose.” The worry on his face could probably be seen from space.

“The ring we looked at?” Jason nods. “Jason, she’s going to love it, and you’ll figure out how to ask her.” She leans forward and takes his hand.

“You know how Piper is, it has to be perfect,” Jason says with a shake of his head.

“I know exactly how Piper is. I know she’s crazy about you and I know she’s been waiting for you to propose for years.”

“That’s exactly why I’m worried!” Jason hisses and runs a hand through his hair.

“Jason,” Annabeth squeezes his hand to get his attention. “How do you want to ask her? Don’t worry about anything else. Just explain to me what you’d do.”

“The restaurant where we had our first date,” he says after a second.

“During dinner?” Annabeth prompts.

“No, I’d be waiting for her like I was the first time, and she’d come around the corner and see me and I’d have the ring, and our friends would be inside to surprise her.” The plan sounds like it comes to him as he speaks but Annabeth grins and feels her heart speed up. “Oh man, I- I have a plan, I have a plan and a ring, Annabeth this is happening.” The realization rolls over his face and Annabeth can’t help but laugh.

“This better be happening, I was getting worried Piper was about to trick you into proposing,” Annabeth jokes.

“You and me both, we’ve been ‘accidentally’ getting bridal magazines.” Jason actually uses air quotes and Annabeth laughs until her sides hurt.

Jason’s face relaxes and he even manages to smile.

“So, how’s your arrangement going?”

Annabeth feels a knot of tension build in her shoulders suddenly and slowly leans back.

“That doesn’t look like a good sign,” Jason says with an undertone of worry.

“How does Piper feel about it?”

Jason hesitates and screws up his face before answering.

“She called Percy and talked to him about it and he seemed okay with it.” Jason shrugs. “But other than that she hasn’t really said anything.”

Annabeth nods but bites at her cheek, the worry that a rift is opening between herself and Piper still gnaws at her.

“I’d understand if Piper was worried, Percy is her friend from high school, if things go sour-”

“You mean if Percy gets hurt,” Jason says over her.

“If things go sour,” Annabeth repeats, “she’s his friend who set him up with me.”

“Are you planning on hurting him?”

“No,” Annabeth snaps defensively.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” Jason says like that’s all there is to it.

“You really don’t understand girls very well do you?” Annabeth glares at him.

“Admittedly no, not very much. But maybe you should just, I don’t know, talk to her?”

“You know,” Annabeth says dryly. “I’m supposed to be the smart one.”

“Your throne has been usurped, I am now the smartest in the land.” Jason sits up triumphantly and grins.

“You’re an idiot,” Annabeth grumbles.

“I’m your best friend, and I’m right.” It’s Jason’s turn to lean forward and hold her hand. “Just talk to her, I’m sure the two of you will work this out.”

 

* * *

 

Annabeth mulls the conversation over in her head for the rest of the day. Jason’s words stick with her and she asks herself again and again the same pointed question he asked her. Is she planning on hurting Percy?

The quick answer is no, the longer answer still boils down to no, but it’s a messy no. A no that’s ragged and steeped in clauses. No, she’s not planning on hurting him but she could. The nagging detail of Percy is her concern. Annabeth has her plan and knows what she’s doing here, knows what she wants out of this. This is a social activity for her, a way to appease her friends and keep work from burning her out, but it’s not just that for Percy. If he gets invested in this and if he falls for her it could, and probably will, end up ugly for both of them. So Annabeth reevaluates the arrangement and factors in the fallout for the equivalent of an emotional Chernobyl and things get much more risky.

It’s not just she and Percy who have a stake in this, Piper and Jason are in this too and that means another couple’s relationship and friendships that have lasted years. Annabeth takes her time to figure out if the risk it at all worth the reward and comes up with contingency plans. Ways to mitigate damage and prevent fires from ever happening. It’s these plans she takes to Piper that night.

Annabeth ends up at Piper and Jason’s apartment with plan after plan and ready to explain all of them to her friend. She doesn’t bother to knock and uses her spare key to open the door and barge in with the hopes of catching Piper off guard. Her plan succeeds and she finds Piper sprawled across the couch holding her laptop with a cookie in her mouth.

"Hi," Piper greets wide-eyed and through a mouth full of cookie.

"We need to talk," Annabeth says and swings the door shut.

She lifts Piper's legs, drops down onto the couch and puts Piper's stupidly perfect calves back in her lap.

"Annabeth, is everything okay? Are you pregnant? I'm not ready to be a parent." Annabeth groans and lands a playful blow on her friend's shin.

"Piper, I need you to be serious for a minute." Piper's grin fades at Annabeth's tone and she sits up.

"What's going on?"

Annabeth keeps her eyes on Piper's feet as she speaks, "I'm not planning on hurting him, or myself, or anyone else, with this arrangement. I know he's your friend and you're worried about him so I'll end it if you want."

Annabeth watches the muscles in Piper's leg tense and hears her let out a long breath. There's a second where Annabeth expects a lecture about how Annabeth shouldn't have come up with this arrangement in the first place, that this wasn't supposed to be Annabeth just picking and choosing the parts of a relationship she likes, and that Annabeth should have known Piper wouldn't be okay with it. She starts planning on how to break it to Percy, the thought of which creates a sinking feeling in the center of her gut and pulls the blood from her face.

"I'm not worried that you're going to get hurt, we're all big kids and can handle getting a little hurt. What I care about is that you actually get what you're doing here." Piper wiggles her toes but Annabeth clenches her jaw.

"I know exactly what I'm doing! I've thought about this over and over-"

"What you've thought about is thinking, you haven't thought about how you're going to end up feeling. What if you guys get attached?"

"I'm not going to let Percy get attached, if that starts to happen I'll kill the dates," Annabeth says simply.

"What if you start to fall for him?" Piper's words are serious and they make Annabeth blink.

"What? Piper I'm not- that's not going to happen."

"Of course it's not, because as soon as you start to actually like him you're going to blame him, or work, or something, and end it." Piper's tone has dropped and Annabeth can feel her hackles rising.

"Piper, I know what I'm doing. I'm not some teenager, this isn't going to end up in a mess of high school drama." Annabeth is defensive and it seeps into her words.

"If you say so," Piper says and drops her head back onto the couch armrest.

Annabeth stews in her anger and stares at the carpet under her feet. Piper doesn't seem to have anything else to say and they sit in silence for a few minutes, each assured in their stance. It boils down to the same argument since Jason introduced Piper to Annabeth, logic versus emotion. Piper argues that Annabeth doesn't process her emotions enough and let her mind take a rest at times while Annabeth argues that she shouldn't be subject to the whims of hormones. They've argued this over everything from dessert choices to jobs and now relationships.

The minutes count down in Annabeth's mind until one of them speaks again. The longest they've actually gone is forty-seven minutes but they average nineteen. They haven't even reached half that time when Piper clears her throat and Annabeth swivels her head to look at her friend.

"Do you think Jason actually wants to marry me?" The question knocks the air from Annabeth's lungs and she's glad she doesn't have the chance to admit anything.

“Why are you worried about that?” Annabeth grabs Piper’s foot and squeezes.

“Because he hasn’t proposed yet! Because we graduated months ago and he has a great job and I have a blog and nothing! Is he not sure if he wants to marry me?” There’s desperation in her voice and Annabeth has to tread carefully.

“Piper, your boyfriend isn’t a complete moron. Maybe he’s nervous, maybe he will soon. Don’t freak out.” Annabeth gently rubs Piper’s foot in an attempt to help sooth her.

“What if he’s not? What exactly is he waiting for?” Piper groans and throws an arm over her eyes.

“Knowing him, the perfect proposal. So, yeah, maybe you’re never getting proposed to.” The joke doesn’t go over well and Piper lifts her arm to throw Annabeth an angry glare.

“The idiot just needs to ask already.” Piper seems to sink into the couch with defeat.

The door swings open and Jason appears at that moment like he’s been summoned, walking in on an irate girlfriend and an irate girlfriend’s sympathetic friend who both give him death glares.

“Hi,” he says meekly. “So I’m just,” he says edging towards the bedroom, “gonna hide for a while in there.” Jason ducks into the bedroom and the two girls exchange a look.

“I’ll talk to him and get him set straight,” Annabeth says reassuringly.

“Thanks,” Piper mutters and Annabeth doesn’t fail to notice the look she throws in the direction of where Jason disappeared to.

Annabeth puts putting the pressure on Jason to pop the question at the top of her list.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick heads up, next week is going to be absolutely nuts so I don't think I'll be posting a chapter and I'm sorry. Hopefully this chapter will tie you over until then.

In the rush of working fifty or more hours a week, helping her best friend plan his proposal, and managing a newly blooming social life, Annabeth's stack of books-to-read and favorite reading chair have become sorely missed. The call of an evening in, curled into the soft siding of a wingback chair with her legs tucked under her and holding her latest read gets the better of her and she finally gives in on Friday night.

Her chair is pushed into the corner of her living room under the window with the best lighting. A tall brass posted lamp sits as close to her chair as the cord will reach and pours light over the pages on days when the clouds blot out the sun or nights like this when it's slipped past the rooftops to create a pseudo-sunset which turns her apartment a golden pink. It's this lighting that makes the faded, threadbare carpet and ancient faucets worth living with, but it's nearly useless for reading.

So her lamp hums just above her head and fights back against the waning light while she sucks in page after page. Her right hand holds open her book and her left cups a fresh mug of tea, the perfect combination to round off a cozy night in. She's lost in the story when the phone on her side table rattles violently and shatters the illusion. Annabeth spares a quick glance to see if it's important enough to put her book down and sees the text alert. If it's important enough they'll call, she tells herself and resumes her diversion.

Half a chapter later the phone shatters the silence again and Annabeth lays her book across her leg with a sigh. She opens her messages and opens the two fresh text messages, both of which are from Percy.

**Hey, what are you up to tonight?**

**You're not still at work are you?**

Annabeth huffs at the insult and taps out a quick reply, _Why? Do you think I have nothing better to do on a Friday night?_

She's in the middle of a plot development when he responds and she lets him wait until the fictional upheaval has sorted itself out before reaching for her phone again.

**No! Piper just says that you're always working. So are you out somewhere?**

Annabeth furrows her brows and holds her thumbs over the screen. Texting lacks tone and body language making things too ambiguous.

_Are you asking if I'm out with someone else?_ She sends the text and tucks the phone between her leg and the chair arm. His response comes quickly and sends vibrations through the chair.

**No, I'm stuck on shift and I'm trying to live vicariously through you. What's freedom like? Is it as sweet as they say?**

Annabeth feel the corner of her mouth twitch up and she lets her book flop closed.

_I'm at home with a cup of tea and a book, thrilling Friday night I know_

She doesn't bother to pick the book back up and keeps her phone in her hand. Annabeth stares out the window while sipping her tea and watches the still busy street scattered with people coming home late from work or heading out for dinner. The drone of cars passing and voices of the people below bounces off the stone and glass of buildings. The noise is one of the draws of the city, it means that things are still moving on and life hasn't stopped. Even when it feels like she’s being dragged down by the weight of life it reminds her that things can get better.

The phone buzzes in her hand and she turns to read his text.

**Oh, I'll leave you to your reading then**

Annabeth smiles, shakes her head and picks back up where she left off in her book. She wagers she won't get to the next chapter before he texts her again. She has the last page of the chapter pinched between her finger and thumb when her phone buzzes. A small, self-satisfied smile crosses her face and she sets the book on the floor under her chair. Her right leg has fallen asleep and she uncurls herself from her position and stretches her legs, using the windowsill to rest her feet on. The seam on the armrest digs into the back of her legs and her toes are cold where they touch the pain of glass keeping in the warmth of her apartment.

She picks her phone up off the seat and drags the lock screen open. The message waiting for her is predictably from Percy.

**So how's the book?**

_It would be better if I could read it without being interrupted_

His response comes a second later, **Sorry I'm just so bored**

_So you're just using me to distract you from your boredom?_ She sends the message and hopes he has the sense to get her humor through a text. If he can't it'll end up being the next lesson.

**I thought this was included in the package, you said texts were covered. The whole shebang remember?**

Annabeth narrows her eyes at the screen, _I'm not a big fan of having my words used against me_

**Well they're wise words**

Annabeth smiles wryly and formulates her response, _Interrupting my reading, using me to fill your boredom, and now this. What a way to treat a girl._

**Let me make it up to you**

Annabeth blinks and takes a second to let Percy's offer settle in.

_Percy Jackson, are you asking me out?_

**Yes, this wednesday?**

Annabeth goes through her schedule for the week and frowns, Thursday she has a presentation and Wednesday will likely be her day to finalize and fix any last minute details.

_Can't, Thursday or Friday night instead?_

**Can't, has to be a wednesday**

Annabeth knits her eyebrows and her face drops.

_Why Wednesday?_

**You'll find out next wednesday**

_Fine next Wednesday it is_ , she sends the text and drops the phone on her chest. The phone stays silent so Annabeth stares out her window at the coming twilight. When the next text does come the vibrations rattle in her chest.

**What's the book about?**

Annabeth shakes her head and wonders exactly how often Percy gets bored at work, and how long he's going to be bored today.

\-------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the week drags by as work picks up and dumps more and more paperwork on her. On top of this Annabeth handles Jason settling on a date for the proposal and reassuring a defeated Piper. The two of them are family to her, which of course means they irritate the crap out of her like only family can.

By the time Wednesday rolls around Annabeth is genuinely excited for whatever distraction Percy has planned. At least when it's him frustrating her she enjoys it a little and gets to piss him off back. He's also become her go to sounding board when she needs to vent about work and her suggestions of where her boss can shove it. Percy always agrees enthusiastically even if he has no idea what exactly she's talking about and makes a lame joke- normally a pun- to get her to laugh.

She follows the directions he's texted her- after insisting she not ruin the surprise by looking them up herself- to their meeting spot and finds herself standing outside a building that hasn't been painted since it was built in what Annabeth guesses was the late 80's. There's a pair of automatic doors that screech as they open with a six-foot tall neon light depicting a bowling ball scattering a set of pins glowing above them. As soon as she steps through the doors Annabeth is assaulted by a wave of pungent flower scented airfreshener and stale popcorn.

On her left is a the snack counter that prominently displays slices of what they call pizza but looks more like a melted rubber-cheese blend over rehydrated cardboard. An employee shouts out orders and fills pitchers from a beer tap. To her right is the register and shoe rental station where a guy in his early twenties wearing a shirt with the name of the bowling alley drenches a row of bowling shoes with cleaning spray.

Annabeth has to move away from the area before she ends up with a headache and moves towards the table separating the lanes from the front. She scans the lanes and looks for the mess of dark hair, spotting him a few lanes over to her right. Annabeth waves to get his attention and Percy waves back, holding a shoe over his head and pointing to the counter she just ran away from. She gives him a thumbs up before heading back into the cloud of chemicals and lining up to get her rental shoes. By the time she gets her freshly sprayed shoes and makes it back to Percy he's already set up their names on the computer that stopped being made a decade before.

"Hey," Percy greets her with a grin and gestures to the screen. "What do you think?"

She looks up at ANNABABE in block letters scrolling across the screen.

"Seriously?" She eyes him and crosses her arms.

"I'm guessing you're not a big fan, but Anna Montana was too long."

"Don't call me Anna," she drops her voice, throwing him a look to back up her words.

"Never call you Anna, got it." Percy’s eyes go wide and he leans backwards.

"Now move, I get to put in your name." She pulls on his shirt and drags him from the seat.

Annabeth deletes his name and types in the one she's come up with while hiding it from Percy's prying eyes.

"There," she says proudly and leans back.

PERSEA is displayed on the antique screen hanging from the ceiling. She looks over her shoulder at him and laughs at his bottom lip sticking out in a pout.

“That’s how you pun someone’s name.”  

"If this is how it's going to be then I get to change yours," he complains and Annabeth gives up her seat.

"If Annababe was the best you could come up with before then I have nothing to worry about." Annabeth takes one of the seats behind him at the small table they share with the lane next to them.

"Ha," Percy shouts when he's done and holds his arms up to the screen above him.

"Annabae? That's it? Let's hope your bowling is better than your trash talk," Annabeth says with a shake of her head.

"My trash talk is good enough, and I'm good at bowling." There's a defensive tone to his voice.

"Good," she says and pushes herself out of the swivel seat. "Then I won't have to go easy on you."

Annabeth is up first and grabs her ball from the return and lines herself up. She waits until the lanes closest to her have gone and takes three precise steps forward before kicking out her leg and sending the ball down the lane. It hits just to the right of the center pin and she's greeted with the clatter of pins falling. When everything settles down every pin is tottering on its side, racking up a strike with her first go. Her victory grin takes hold as she turns back to her seat.

"You're up," she says with a jab of her thumb over her shoulder.

Percy frowns and gets up from his seat silently. He throws his first ball and they watch as it slides too far right and only takes out eight of the ten pins. Percy drops his head and trudges back to the ball return to await his ball's return. His second attempt takes out the last two pins and he picks up the spare.

"This is going to be tough," Percy grumbles.

"It's okay, Percy. Second place isn't bad." Annabeth crosses her arms and leans back.

"Hey, the game isn't over yet!" He flails his arm as he speaks and Annabeth covers her mouth to keep her laugh down.

The trash talk continues through the first game- which Annabeth wins by twenty pins- and into the second. After Annabeth picks up four strikes in the first five frames, Percy moves into a strategy of distracting her as she goes up for her frame. It starts to get to her and strikes turn to spares letting Percy close the gap between them. Annabeth still wins but it's by less than a dozen pins, though a win is a win in her books.

"Maybe you should have picked another activity," Annabeth jests.

"Maybe I should have brought someone that isn't competitive and amazing at everything," Percy grumbles.

"Why did you pick bowling? And why here?" Annabeth glances around at the peeling paint and stained carpet.

"A lot of the guys from the station like to come here, they can drink and be loud and I get to bowl. Besides, this is where the Rockin' Rockers play." His signature trouble maker grin inches across his face and is matched by the glint in his eyes.

"The who?" She narrows her eyes at him.

"Percy!" A raspy voice cries out and both of them turn.

An elderly woman in a bowling shirt and slacks has both of her hands in the air with a grin on her face.

"May, you're still kickin' it?" Percy's smile grows and he stands.

May comes straight over to wrap Percy in a hug for a long minute before letting him go and holding him at arm's length.

"You're still too skinny." She frowns and looks him over before realizing Annabeth is watching her. "Why hello dear, I didn't see you there. Percy, who is this gorgeous young lady?" May punctuates the question with an elbow to Percy's ribs.

Percy's face goes completely red and his smile turns nervous.

"May, this is Annabeth, Annabeth this is May," he introduces them. "Annabeth is my..." His eyes flick between the two women as he searches for words. "My date."

"Well, I'm sorry to bother you two, I'll let you get back to your date." May gives them a smile before turning to the lane next to them.

They slide back into their plastic seats at the tiny table, Annabeth watchs May unpack her bowling gear. When May turns Annabeth notices the gold stitching on the back of May's blue shirt that reads Rockin' Rockers.

"You hang out with a senior bowling team?" Annabeth says open mouthed and wide eyed.

"Yeah, the rest of them should be around here-"

"Percy!" A chorus of voices cheer and Percy blushes again.

An entire bowling team has assembled with matching shirts and carrying bowling ball bags. Before any of them can make it to their table May steps between the team and the couple.

"Everyone, meet Annabeth. She's Percy's date." There's a pride to the words and the entire team stops short.

Each member mutters a hello to her and break out into grins, there's even a couple of thumbs up thrown in Percy's direction which makes his blush spread to his neck.

"Hi, everyone," Annabeth says politely.

"Come on, let them be." May herds the group towards their own lane.

Annabeth gets a couple winks from the gentlemen on the team making heat rise in her face.

"Wednesday's are league nights here, and technically I'm a member of Rockin' Rockers so I get to use the discount." Percy leans his elbows on the table as he talks.

"Hence why it had to be Wednesday," Annabeth says with a nod of her head. "This place is really cool, but we're not going to eat here right?" Annabeth's stomach tightens at the thought of the snack bar.

"God no," Percy says quickly and hold up his hands. "This place is great but as a born and raised New Yorker I can't eat that crud they call pizza."

"Thank god, I don't think I could have choked it down," she says with a sigh of relief.

"Are you hungry?" His eyebrows raise.

Annabeth nods eagerly making Percy smile.

"Come on, there's a great pizza place not far from here."

They change out of their shoes before saying goodbye to the Rockin' Rockers and leaving the bowling alley behind. Annabeth uses the walk to find out exactly how Percy ended up on a senior bowling team.

"There was a member on the team last year, Lee, and he had a heart attack in the middle of a game, luckily a few of us had stopped by after work that day and jumped in when we saw what was happening. The team was so thankful they added our names to their roster and refuse to take us off," Percy's voice stays level and he stares ahead with his hands in his pockets while he talks, as if this is an everyday occurrence.

"Lee was a member of the team?" Annabeth asks, wide-eyed.

"Oh he's fine, he just moved to Ohio to be closer to his kids and grandkids," Percy gives her an easy smile.

"Any babies going to be named after the hero that saved their grandpa?" Annabeth gives him a smirk while Percy looks away with a tint of red on his cheeks.

"I don't know, I mean I wasn't the only one there," he shrugs his shoulders before pointing to the left. "That's the place."

Annabeth follows his finger to a brightly lit pizza place not far ahead.

"Good, I'm getting tired of walking," Annabeth pulls her arms against her sides to fight off the chill breeze.

Percy picks up his pace as they close on the on the restaurant to get to the door first and hold it open for her. She brushes against him as she enters, a tingle shooting up her arm. He orders a couple slices for each of them then shows her how to eat them ‘like a proper New Yorker,’ which means folding them in half to eat them.

They joke and enjoy their meal, Annabeth only makes fun of him a little bit for getting pizza grease all over his face. After they're done Annabeth finds every excuse she can to linger, to spend a little more time with Percy. Another half hour goes by and Annabeth is aware that the date has to end eventually, but she drags it out as long as she can. It's Percy who looks at his phone first, his face drops.

"It's getting kind of late," Percy mumbles.

"Trying to get away from me?" Annabeth puts on a smile but feels her hands get clammy.

"It's just that I've got work," Percy says timidly.

Annabeth can see what looks like pain in in his eyes, she gets an idea and grins wickedly.

"Is that what you're gonna say in the morning to get me out of your place?" Annabeth says with a husky voice.

Percy's eyes become as wide as plates, his mouth hanging open like he's trying to catch flies. There's complete panic written on his face making him look like he's about to be hit by a train. Annabeth holds her laugh in as long as she can, but it comes bubbling out. His face instantly drops, panic is replaced by annoyance and Percy looks fed up.

"That was cold." Percy frowns.

"That was funny," Annabeth corrects.

"Yeah, yeah, let's get you a cab." Percy takes a step back from a table and jerks his head towards the door.

Annabeth follows after him still chuckling and shaking her head. They step out onto the street, the cold hits her so she takes a step back towards him. Percy wraps an arm around her shoulders, giving Annabeth a chance to push into his side and enjoy the warmth he's radiating.

"That was pretty mean, messing with me like that." Percy sounds upset but keeps his arm tight around her.

"You're right," Annabeth says softly. "Maybe..." she turns to face him, grabbing his jacket with both hands. "Maybe there's a way I can make it up to you." She pulls him close and lifts up on her toes, almost bringing their lips together.

"Uh," Percy croaks and she can almost feel his lips brush against hers.

"Mmm," Annabeth hums. "You know what I think?" She watches his eyes flick between hers.

Percy shakes his head sharply, staring down at her with a light in his eyes.

"I think I'd destroy you," her facade cracks, a grin breaking out on her face.

"Oh, screw you," Percy groans and takes a step back, Annabeth fights the urge to step forward and press herself into him again.

"Only in your dreams, Jackson." Annabeth lets go of his jacket, sticking her hands in her pockets to keep them warm against the chilly air.

"I'm going to get you back for this," he threatens, making Annabeth smile.

"I can't wait for that," Annabeth gives him a mocking smile.

Percy waves down a ride, there's a sudden dropping feeling in her stomach at the thought of leaving. A cab pulls to a stop at the curb and Annabeth stares at it, unwilling to climb in and end the night.

"Thanks for coming out and giving my date a chance," Percy says gently.

"Of course. I should let you plan more dates." She takes a step closer to him, her hand reaching up to play with his sleeve.

"Yeah." Percy's eyes drop down to her hand. "I could do that."

Annabeth bites at her lip for a second, the pull of being so close to him scrambling her brain and replacing her reasoning with his smell. She struggles to process what's happening, to straighten out what's going on. It's hard with him so close, with the warmth of his body and the heat of his breath on her face. His lips are slightly parted and she can't pull her eyes away from them. Annabeth can feel his eyes boring into her so she looks up, there's an intensity in them that makes her heart stutter. Annabeth shifts her weight forward onto the balls of her feet, lifting up towards him. The cab-driver hits his horn making both of them jump and swivel their heads to look.

Her mind clears, letting the realization of what she was about to do settle in. Annabeth lets go of his sleeve, quickly stepping away from him towards the waiting car.

"I'll call you later," she throws over her shoulder, making sure to avoid meeting his eyes.

"Yeah," Percy says solemnly. "Talk to you later."

Annabeth jumps into the cab, giving her address to the cabbie quickly. As they pull away from the curb she digs her fingers into her hair, doing her best to push the thought of his lips and feeling of his arm around her out of her mind. She falls asleep that night with a heat in her stomach and tightness in her chest.    


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, things have been crazy with the start of summer. Hopefully I'll be posting on a regular schedule again. Thanks for your patience these past couple weeks. 
> 
> This chapter contains sexual content and the rating for the story has been adjusted because of it.

Annabeth pulls her phone from her purse and brings up Percy’s number. The phone rings all the way through to voicemail, she frowns at the phone in her hand. She hits the button to call again and waits. This time Percy picks up after a couple rings, panting into the speaker like he’s out of breath.

"Did I interrupt your workout?" The question rolls off her tongue before he can even say hello.

"No, we just finished up a game of basketball," he says breathily.

"Then what are you doing tonight?"

“Uh, not just sitting around watching Disney movies,” he says quickly.

Annabeth rolls her eyes, marveling at the fact that Percy apparently never grew up.

“Good, then you’re coming out with me.” Annabeth grins and stares up at the sky.

“I get that we’ve been going out or whatever for a while but this is how you tell me we’re going on a date?” Annabeth hears rustling in the background and imagines Percy pulling on a shirt.

The last two months of their arrangement have gone well, they’ve seen each other every week and Annabeth has become comfortable around him. Percy’s name is almost always at the top of her most recent calls and texts, she’s even had him over to her place twice now. Things with Percy have become easy.

“We’re going out because I got a promotion.” Annabeth can’t help the grin that splits her face.

“You what?” Percy shouts into the phone. “Annabeth, that’s incredible! Today? They gave you the full promotion?”

“They gave me my first project to manage, as long as I don’t drop the ball here I’m a shoe in,” she says proudly.

“Okay, hold on.” There’s muffled shouting and the sound of feet pounding on a wooden floor. “Hey, can you give me an hour?”

“You need an hour?”

“I have to shower and find something nice to wear,” he explains.

“Forty-Five minutes, best I can do.” She picks up her pace, her apartment is a few blocks away and she needs to get changed herself.

“Text me the address?” His voice rises and Annabeth can practically see his raised eyebrows and wide eyes.

“How else are you going to get there?” she says with a roll of her eyes. “Forty-five minutes, don’t be late.”

“I won’t, I won’t.” Percy protest.

She hangs up the phone and drops it back into her purse. It takes her another ten minutes to cover the last couple blocks to her apartment, get up the stairs, and get inside. Another five minutes later she’s swapped out her work skirt for her best pair of jeans, her blouse for a fitted top that shimmers as it moves, and a leather jacket to finish off the outfit.

Annabeth grabs a pair of ankle boots on her way downstairs, texting Percy the address of the bar she’s been looking for a reason to try out. It’s close enough she can walk there with plenty of time left so she forgos a cab, digging her hands into her pockets and holding her shoulders high with her elbows out.

There’s a hum of victory in her blood that fills her lungs with helium, making her feel light and easy. This is the first step along her plan, that first realization of her dreams she’s had since she was seven. A feeling settles over her that tonight has only started going her way.

 

By the time Percy makes it to the bar- two minutes early to his credit- she’s already finished half her first half her first glass of wine. He flops into the booth, sliding up next to her, and rests his elbows on the table. Annabeth gives him a once over, his jeans are dark and fit him incredibly well, a light grey henley shirt hugs his chest underneath a black jacket that’s stretched to fit across his shoulders.

“Hey,” Percy says with a nod. “I see you’ve already started celebrating.”

“Yeah.” Annabeth’s eyes drop to her drink.

Percy’s avoidance of alcohol has become a strange point of tension over the last couple months, she also feels a bit strange every time she drinks in front of him.

“Sorry I didn’t wait,” she follows up quickly.

“No, it’s fine,” he says with a grin. “Celebrate, this is a good night for you.”

Annabeth shares his grin, a flush of warmth inching across her face.

“Yeah, this is a good night.” Annabeth tucks her leg under her and turns towards Percy.

“Anyone else joining us?” Percy’s eyebrows lift as he searches her face.

“I invited Jason and Piper but he said he’s got last minute stuff to take care of for the proposal and he sent Piper out with a friend to keep her busy.” Annabeth slides her drink towards herself and watches the ripples bounce off the sides.

“I can’t believe that’s happening in a week. Our friends are getting engaged.” Percy shakes his head as he speaks.

“Are you really surprised? This is Jason and Piper, they were bound to get married from day one,” Annabeth snorts.

“You’re telling me, she came home after the first date practically singing.” Percy smiles and leans back against the booth.

“Wait, you were there? When she came back from the date?” Annabeth furrows her brow and stares at him.

“Yeah, we’re practically siblings and she was going out with some new guy I didn’t know.” Percy shrugs his shoulders.

“Wow, overprotective, big-brother Percy was willing to take on Jason?” She can’t help the smirk on her face.

“I think I could take him,” Percy says defensively.

Annabeth runs her eyes over him, taking in his build and the obvious muscle hidden under his clothing.

“Yeah, you definitely could,” she says a little too enthusiastically.

Percy eyes her like she’s just turned purple from head to toe instead of the red from her blush.

“So, tell me about the new job.” Percy shoves her playfully and Annabeth smiles.

A whole drink later she’s laughing at something Percy’s said that wasn’t really supposed to be a joke but cracked her up anyways. Percy looks at her a little sourly but doesn’t say anything, she's explained too many times she’s not laughing at him but his face always screws up like he's taken a sip of bad milk. She leans over and brushes her arm against him, waiting for him to turn to look at her.

“Thanks for coming out with me, I really appreciate it.” Annabeth ignores the tone in her own voice, playing it off as the drinks getting to her.

“Of course, what are fake boyfriends for?” A strange smile stretches across his face.

“Percy, you’re not just a fake boyfriend, you’re-” She stops short.

Annabeth isn’t sure what he is, but it’s not that. It’s not something fake.

“You’re a wonderful friend. No matter what you’re that. These past two months you’ve been completely amazing and I’m glad I met you.” Her words are sincere but they don’t take the pain from his face.

“Thanks,” he mutters.

Annabeth reaches a hand up and rests it on the back of his neck, she squeezes gently to get him to look at her again and when he does her heart drops. Percy's eyes are dull, the light normally shining behind them missing.

“Our relationship isn’t fake, I’m not pretending with you.” For a second his eyes soften and she smiles.

It’s probably the drinks mixed with her pride that makes her feel like she’s on top of the world right now. The helium in her lungs, the victory in her blood, the feeling of having what she wants, that rush together and tell her to kiss him. For a split second she almost listens, she leans forward a little more and stares at his lips. Her hand is already on the back of his neck, ready to pull him down those handful of inches to her. It would be so easy to do it.

Annabeth breaks from her trance and glances up to find Percy's eyes locked on her. For another long moment she has to fight the urge to kiss him, to press her lips into his until she loses her breath.

Annabeth drops her hand from his neck and rests her elbows on the table, taking a deep breath to clear her head. The warning lights are going off in the back of her mind but they sound so far away and Percy is right here. His hands, arms, lips are all so close she can feel the warmth radiating off him, another warmth starts to build between her legs.

"You okay?" His voice is soft and full of concern, pulling at her.

"Yeah, I'll- I'll be okay."

Annabeth feels him shift his weight forward and his hand settles in the middle of her back.

"Are you sure?" he leans in and asks, the warmth of his breath on her neck.

She turns to look at him, meeting his deep green eyes. There's a new light behind them, one Annabeth hasn't seen before but she realizes what it is. It's the same look she knows is in her eyes, the same look of hunger and want she's been side eyeing him with all night.

It's the look that breaks her final resolve, it guides her hand to his cheek and pushes her forward until their lips meet. At first Percy is completely still, his lips frozen against hers. Her heart drops and stomach fills with ice. She tells herself this shouldn't be happening, the way he looked at her told her that he wanted this as much as she did.

Annabeth is about to pull away when she feels his lips twitch, and the next second he's giving into her kiss. The ice disappears and her heart hammers in her chest, the sound of it pounding in her ears. Percy deepens the kiss, tilting his head and leaning into her. There's a rush that courses through her, burning its way from her lips down her spine to her toes. It feels like drinking fire and she can't stop. The kiss burns on and on, leaving her breathless and light headed but she has to have more. She has to get them out of this booth, out of this restaurant and back to her apartment.

"Cab. Back to my place." Annabeth breaks their kiss to give the order and Percy shifts to trail kisses down her neck. "We can't make out during the ride back."

Percy grunts an acknowledgement as he sucks at spot just above her collarbone, Annabeth's mind tells her they can't do this here and the ache between her legs agrees. She has the overpowering urge to get him into her bed, at least into her apartment, really any secluded place with a flat surface will work at this point.

"Shit," she groans, burying her fingers into his hair to pry him away. "Cab, now," she orders.

It's easy enough to drag him out of the bar and onto the street but somewhere along the way she loses herself in him again. Annabeth bites at his bottom lip, listening to his breath hitch while his hands wrap around her waist. She snakes her hands under his open jacket, feeling the tight muscles under the thin material of his shirt. They stay there a minute longer, and she’s torn between taking this further and having to stop for the ride to her place.

Someone walks past them on the street muttering a comment about getting a room and her choice is finalized. She pulls away from him, placing her palm on his chest to keep him from getting close enough to trap her with his lips again.

"Come on," she says demandingly and steps out into the street.

Annabeth waves for a cab and ignores his hands, which have slid under the back of her shirt. Percy's thumbs trail over her hips, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Slowly he presses himself against her and, against her own will, she arches back into him letting out a little gasp. She spins on him and is greeted by a lopsided grin which makes her blood boil. Percy doesn't get to grin like that, he doesn't get to pull her strings and unravel her like this.

"If you so much as try and kiss me on the ride back I'll leave you at the door to my apartment. Got it?" She keeps her voice icy.

"Really?" He sounds too sure of himself for her liking.

Annabeth slips her hand between them, gripping the front of his jeans tightly and the bulge hidden beneath his denim. For a second she wavers, the need to drag her hand along his length freezing her muscles, but she gets a hold of herself.

"Go ahead and try me." The heat seeps into her voice and she cherishes the look of want on his face.

She gives him a gentle squeeze, causing him to bite down on his lip and close his eyes. Annabeth grins with pride, telling herself this is how it should be. Percy is putty in her hands and that knowledge sends a shiver up her spine. As soon as they can get to her apartment she's going to have him pinned under her while she rocks against the generous bulge that's currently in her hand. She realizes keeping her hands off during the ride is going to be more difficult than she thought.

"Damn it, thirteen-thousand cabs in this city and we can't get one," Annabeth snaps.

She turns back towards traffic and steps out further into the street, nearly directly in front of traffic and brings a cab to a stop.

"Let's go," Annabeth says as she whips the door open and slides inside.

The cabby gives her a glare which she ignores and gives him her address while Percy is still climbing in. As soon as the door closes the car pulls away and Annabeth wills the cab to go faster. Percy shifts next to her until their legs, hips, shoulders are pressed together. Everywhere they touch her skin tingles, her nerves screaming for more pressure, more him.

Her hand moves to his leg and her nails drag over his jeans on the inside of his thigh. The only thing her mind can focus on is the fact that Percy is hard and ready for her under his jeans. Block after block crawls by far too slowly for the heat that's building inside her. Her hand tightens on his thigh and she presses the back of her head into the seat. Annabeth has to close her eyes to focus and keep herself from sliding her hand down his pants, or hers. The cab lurches suddenly, Annabeth snaps her eyes open. They're outside her building and the driver is looking at her expectantly. She shoves a twenty through the opening in the plexiglass before grabbing Percy by the collar, dragging him after her from the cab.

It only takes her a second to get the door to her building open and another to cross the lobby to the elevators. Annabeth slams the button with enough force to make her hand sting, she turns on Percy and yanks him down towards her. He snakes two fingers into her jeans, tugging her forward until they're pressed together. She can feel the pounding of his heart in his chest while he kisses her desperately.

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep my hands off you? I deserve an award or something," Percy mutters into her lips.

"Good job. Now keep them on me." Annabeth reaches up to dig her fingers into his hair.

The elevator dings behind her informing them it's arrived, Percy shoves her backwards through the opening doors.

"Floor five," she gasps between kisses.

"Thought I wasn't supposed to take my hands off you," he mutters into the skin of her shoulder.

"Push the god damned button," she barks.

Percy breaks away from her, turning just enough to reach the buttons and punches her floor. Annabeth uses the opportunity to shove her hand into his jeans but misses the hem of his underwear. She grabs his shaft and slides her hand upwards, Percy curses and spins back towards her. His hands cup her ass and lift, she wraps her free hand around his shoulders to help. Percy pushes her back into the elevator wall and squeezes her ass, their lips press together and the kiss becomes hungry. By the time they reach her floor Annabeth is breathless, her face burning and loose strands of hair drag in the wind.

She bunches her fist in Percy’s shirt, dragging him down the hall towards her apartment. When they reach the door she has to dig through her purse for her keys, Percy uses the opportunity to push her hair aside and kiss her neck which doesn't make key finding easy. It takes her a minute but she fishes them out of her bag, getting the key into the lock with Percy latched onto her neck is a tick. The lock clicks open and she shoves the door open hard, bouncing it off the door stop. Keys are tossed on the ground and she grabs Percy with both hands.

There's too many layers of clothes. She shoves his jacket down his arms, letting it fall on the floor while her hands roam his shoulders. Annabeth guides them through the apartment to the bedroom, shedding clothes as they go. His shirt is next, then hers, then her bra which gives him access to her breasts. Percy stares at them, mouth parted with a hunger in his eyes before dropping his mouth to the soft skin of her chest. He drops his mouth to her breast and sucks gently, Annabeth's head snaps back in response and a soft moan breaks her lips.

The bed slams into the back of her knees and they go tumbling over. In the process, her boob-hat slips free and Percy changes targets. His mouth trails down her body towards her navel, leaving burning kisses in his wake. He undoes the button of her jeans, tugging gently to slide them down her legs. Annabeth lifts her hips to help and feels the material scrape across her skin. When Percy finally tugs the jeans free Annabeth leans over to her nightstand and searches for a condom. While she's rummaging around her drawer Percy pushes aside her panties and slides two fingers inside her easily. Between the bar, the ride over, and the elevator she's more than ready. He pushes his fingers in deeper and Annabeth grips the sheets tightly, letting out a harsh moan.

"Can you hold on one second?" she growls.

"Remember when I said I'd get you back," Percy says tauntingly.

Before Annabeth can say anything else Percy uses his free hand to push her onto her back, pressing his mouth between her legs. The rush of warmth sends waves of pleasure rolling down to her toes, she has to bite her tongue to keep from yelling. His tongue slides over the fabric of her underwear and his fingers slowly slide in and out of her until she's grunting with each thrust.

Annabeth, who controls everything, is coming apart at the seams under the assault of his fingers and his tongue. She has to turn this on him and quickly if she wants to run the show. Her fingers curl into his hair and she tugs hard, pulling him up onto the bed beside her. She rolls over on top of him and grabs the waistband of his jeans and boxers, sliding them off easily. Annabeth stands at the foot of the bed and gives him a teasing grin. She hooks her thumbs into her panties and takes her time slipping them over her hips, letting them fall to her feet. Percy stares at her in awe, the light in his eyes shining like he's watching a sunrise.

Her need to have him inside her becomes less desperation and more desire. She grabs a condom from the open drawer and tears open the foil package. Annabeth climbs onto the bed and crawls over to him, setting a knee on either side of his hips. She rolls the condom over his length and Percy bucks in her hands. Another grin spreads across her face, the feeling of finally having him at her control sending a rush through her.

One hand wraps around his shaft while the other settles on his chest to keep herself up. Annabeth guides him into place, slowly sliding down onto him. Her eyes flutter closed and her mouth opens in a quiet moan. Percy's hands wrap around her sides, his thumbs digging into the ridges of her hip bones and his fingers pressing into her back. He pulls her down onto him the rest of the way, groaning as she slides down onto him. She starts the pace off slow, adjusting to his size and getting a feel for him.

It doesn't take long before they’re moving together at a pace that sends licks of fire through her nerves. His fingertips press into her skin until they leave marks, while Annabeth’s fingers curl into him. The muscles in his arms, neck, chest are all taught and Annabeth drinks the sight in, letting her eyes roam over his exposed body. Annabeth can feel his heart pounding where her hands press against his pecs, his breathing ragged. Annabeth clenches her legs around his hips and bites down hard on her lower lip. She shifts forward, sliding both hands up to his neck and placing her forehead against his. The change in position increases the friction, igniting the fire in her stomach that burns through her chest. Annabeth’s mouth falls open, every breath a gasp for air between moans.

“Annabeth, I- I can’t-” Percy says breathily.

She groans but doesn't stop her movements, the need that's built between her legs pushes her to keep going. Percy curses and arches up into her, his movements become desperate and shaky. Annabeth can feel the tension that's built in him just beneath the surface, the pressure ready to burst.

The moment he starts to burst she feels it, a sudden snap that stops his breath and freezes his muscles. Percy pushes his head back into the bed, a rattling groan coming from his throat. Annabeth feels him tense and a spread of warmth fill her as he comes. Slowly she winds down her pace until she shifts into grinding back and forth on him. Percy gasps for breath under her in an attempt to catch his breath, his hands falling limp at his side.

"Can- can you hold on?" Percy gasps.

"Nope," Annabeth says, popping the P.

"Shit," he curses and grabs at her waist again.

Annabeth presses her hips down into him and slides forward, feeling him shift inside her. The rush courses through her, a quick high she needs another fix of. She goes to move again but he locks his arms, stopping her short.

"What are you doing?" she demands.

"I can't take it," he huffs.

Before Annabeth can react Percy slides his hands under her legs, lifting her up off him. She nearly whines as he slips out and immediately wants to push back down onto his length. Percy has other ideas, he shifts down the bed under her as she watches wide eyed. He pulls her back down and presses a long, hot kiss against her. She tilts her head back and grabs the sheets with both hands, the muscles in her legs clenching hard.

He drags his tongue across her slowly, dipping into her before flicking across her clit. Annabeth pushes down onto him, feeling his tongue press into her further. He repeats the process and Annabeth moans, she can feel his smile against her skin. Percy shifts to move away from her but Annabeth pushes herself against his mouth.

"Percy, don't stop." Her voice is thick with a desperation to climax.

Percy slips his arms around under her legs and rolls, putting Annabeth on her back with her legs over his shoulders. Her head presses back into the pillows and her eyes flutter closed. One of her hands moves down to curl her fingers in his hair, pulling when she wants him to go faster or guiding him where she wants him. Soon she's gasping for air, her hips bucking against him. The need finally boils over and crashes down on her. It burns through her chest and legs, flickering out in her toes and making them curl.

He eases back, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her thigh to her knee. She cracks her eyes open to look down at him, there's a sheen on his chin and a burning in his eyes. Percy climbs back up the bed and leans over her, his fingertips skim over her ribs to her breast. He squeezes it gently and drops his mouth to the other one, his tongue hot against her skin.

"Shit," she mutters. "You're not done yet?"

There's a wet pop as he pulls his mouth away.

"Blame it on the training, plenty of stamina," he says quickly before taking her nipple in his mouth.

"Thank god for firemen," Annabeth muses and pulls Percy on top of her.           

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for the wonderful feedback I got on the last chapter, I really appreciate all of it. Another shout out to my beta Hannah for pushing me to make each chapter as incredible as possible.

Days like this are meant for farmer’s markets, for pancakes and fresh coffee, for staying in bed all day. They aren’t meant for ending relationships, even fake ones. In the yellow light of the morning, still blurry eyed and glowing from last night, Annabeth feels something lodge itself inside her chest. A weight that presses against her quickly beating heart while she looks down at Percy, a cold feeling spreading through her and making her shiver. Ending things with Percy is going to be difficult but it has to be done, just not now. Not like this, in the too early hours of the morning with the feeling of him still in her veins.

Slipping out of the apartment is easy enough, she leaves behind a hastily written note under a clean mug right next to the fresh pot of coffee. The note has no hint of what she's planning, of how she's about to pull the rug out from under him. She's still figuring out the details, which has started an ache just behind her temples. That ever present voice of reason in her head tells her she has to do it in person, to at least look him in the eyes when she cuts the ties but that's all she has so far.

Her best option is to go someplace public, a coffee shop or another informal setting. It should be today, before she has to avoid phone calls or texts. Before things start to get messy. Annabeth takes a deep breath, squeezing her hand around her clenched fist and staring at her desk. The logical step to take is abundantly clear but no less difficult. She scoops her purse out from under her desk, fishing her phone out with trembling fingers. She'll keep the text short, ask him to meet her at a place between her apartment and work. When she sees him she'll tell him that what happened, as amazing as it may have been, was a mistake that can't happen again.

Annabeth huffs and drops her phone on her desk. She pushes herself to remain objective, to not get sentimental about ending a relationship that never really existed. She's enjoyed spending time with Percy, laughing at his lame jokes and arguing with him about little things. A smile slowly forms as memories of their dates play in her head. Ending things with Percy isn't going to be as cut and dry as she hoped.

A quick check of her clock tells her that two hours have already passed without any work getting done. Annabeth frowns and snatches her phone back up, she'll be damned if an entire day of work is going to be spent thinking about him. The text only takes a second to type out and send before she turns back to her desk, busying herself with work.

The next hour passes by quickly enough with her mind focused, she only spares sideways glances at her phone and only a couple times. She's wrapping things up on a possible design when there's a knock on her office door. Annabeth is used to the interruptions by now and calls for the person to enter. Linda from reception pops her head around the door and gives Annabeth an obnoxious grin.

"There's someone here to see you," Linda says in an almost schoolgirl tone.

For a second Annabeth's eyes go wide. There's only one reason Linda would come all the way to Annabeth's office to tell her she has a visitor, and that reason is a cute guy. The realization that Percy has yet again deviated from the plan hits her and her mind starts to spin, struggling to deal with this change of events. Her brows furrow together and her lips press into a fine line.

"Send him in, please." She gives Linda a nod as the receptionist disappears into the hall.

Annabeth hears Linda tell Percy he can head in and she lifts out of her seat. Percy may have caught her off guard but she's going to meet him head on now. Percy's head appears around her door frame first, he glances around her office quickly before hesitantly stepping into the room.

"Hey," he offers in greeting.

Annabeth watches him warily for a second, if Percy took the initiative to show up at her work a half hour before they were supposed to meet then she reasons there's something he wants to say.

"Your- your office is really nice." Percy jams his hands into his pockets but leaves his thumbs sticking out.

Annabeth gets lost staring at them and daydreaming about details from last night.

"Thank you," she says and shakes her head. "You can come all the way inside, it's safe."

Percy takes a tentative step forward and keeps his eyes on her.

"I figured I'd save you the trouble of having to walk all the way to the coffee shop to do this." Percy's voice is suddenly low and he sounds distant, as if he's not really here with her but off somewhere else.

"Save me the trouble?" Annabeth presses her fingertip to the top of her desk and leans forward.

"Yeah, you know, ending things." As much as he tries he can't hide the pain in his voice.

"Oh," Annabeth says dumbly.

She expected a lot of things from Percy, being blunt was not one of them. Percy who dances around talking about exes and anything sexual has just looked down the barrel of the gun without blinking.

"I brought this," he says digging into his coat pocket. "I locked up when I left." He pulls a single key out and has to reach to drop it on her desk, it makes a soft clink as it hits the glass top.

Annabeth stares at the key and ponders why Percy is taking this so easily.

"Kind of a shame," he chuckles nervously. "I mean last night was- er- I mean it- it was- well for me..." he finishes with a cough and drops his eyes to the floor.

Annabeth can't help but laugh, Percy walked himself to the chopping block and accepted whatever they had is over because they had sex but he can't actually admit it was great.

"It was great," she finishes for him. "It really was."

"But…?" Percy looks at her expectantly.

"That's it. The sex was great." Her eyes flick to the open door as soon as she speaks but Annabeth continues. "And I'm not going to be one to complain about that."

A blush has swept across Percy's face and he can no longer seem to even look at her.

"Right, well. I guess I'll see you around." There's a hesitation in his voice and another plan starts to build in her mind.

"Or you could see me later this week." Annabeth walks around her desk, leaning back against it to face Percy.

"Wait, what? You're not- we're not?" He gestures between them.

"Can you shut the door?" She points to make sure he's still processing what she's saying.

He glances over his shoulder, staring at the door like it could be trap and if he touches it it'll blow up in his face. He takes one tentative step before stopping and shaking his head, apparently it clears whatever doubt he had. Percy swings the door shut before turning back to her. Annabeth looks at the space between them, she decides to wait him out and force him to be less skittish. She won't start talking until he's moved closer.

Percy's steps are slow and deliberate, as if he's in the middle of a mine field, but he closes the gap between them to a couple feet. She takes a deep breath that hitches in her throat. Annabeth swallows around it while raises her chin, meeting his eyes before starting.

"Sleeping with you wasn't in the original agreement, but it happened. We can pretend it didn't or we can be adults and admit that it did and move on. I'd rather go with the second option, personally." She crosses her arms over her chest and watches him.

"Okay. Where does that leave us?" Percy asks with a furrowed brow.

"Wherever we want. We can keep going with our current arrangement or," she hesitates for a second. "We can stop dating and just be friends." Annabeth drops her arms and presses her palms into the desk on either side of her.

"If we keep dating, fake dating, whatever this is, are we also..." His eyes grow wide as he trails off and Annabeth smiles again.

"Having sex? I don't know, what do you want?"

Percy's eyes bug out for a second and he looks like a deer caught in the headlights.

"What do I want? I, uh- I guess-" Percy swallows and stares at her for a long moment. "I'd like to keep hanging out with you, if we- well- you know, I'm okay with that. But I'd really just like to at least get back what we had."

"After what happened last night, I don't think we're ever going to get back exactly what we had. But I think we can make things work." Annabeth tilts her head forward and raises her eyebrows.

“Do you mean make things work in the bedroom?” he asks with raised eyebrows.

“Oh we can definitely make things work in there,” she blurts and sees a blush appear on Percy’s face, a matching blush appearing on her own face.

“I’m, uh, glad to hear that.” Percy’s hand waves about as he speaks, and he tries to hide a devilish grin.

“Are you trying to make me admit you’re good in bed?” she teases.

“Maybe,” he says with a shrug.

Annabeth grins and leans a fraction of an inch towards him.

“I’m not sure I can safely judge that yet. I might need more convincing.” She watches Percy’s throat tighten as he swallows, doing her best not to laugh.

“More convincing?” his voice hitches as he asks the question.

“Maybe,” she says, mocking his tone and making him frown. “But we’re going to need to have some conditions though.”

"Okay, yeah." Percy nods his head enthusiastically. "What are the conditions?"

"First off, if we sleep together we're smart about it, if I don't have time for a real boyfriend I definitely don't have time for a baby." She watches Percy nod his head seriously. "Second, we treat the dates as just dates, there's no guarantee of sex."

When Percy doesn't object or speak up she decides to continue.

"Third, we're straightforward with each other. If you're not up for sex or something is off be honest and speak up. We don't have to be ashamed of this or what we want, deal?"

"Okay. So things continue as normal, except maybe sometimes we-" He glances up at her as his cheeks turn pink.

"If we're going to be having sex you're going to need to be able to say the word sex." She cracks a grin and watches the embarrassment hit him.

"Fine," he says stubbornly, Percy straightens his back and takes a breath. "We're having sex- maybe- sometimes." The confidence drains out of his voice quickly.

"Gods, your game is weak. How did you get me into bed?" Annabeth smiles, letting him know she's pulling his strings.

"Please, Chase. The only thing weak here is your knees," Percy says full of false bravado that's completely ruined by the way his eyes flick away from her and how pink his cheeks get.

"Well played." Annabeth smiles and moves for the door. "I kind of have to get back to work though," she says reaching for the handle.

"Yeah, of course. I'll talk to you later," Percy says hurriedly and slips past her.

"Talk to you later," she calls after him.

Annabeth stands in the hallway, waiting for the elevator doors to shut and Percy to disappear from sight before stepping back into her office. She palms the door shut and stands there for a moment. The hypothetical repercussions of this start to plot themselves out in her mind and soon she has a web of possible outcomes, but there's a constant in all of them; Piper's reaction.

There isn't a plausible scenario where Annabeth takes this new clause in the agreement and Piper doesn't lose her mind. As much as Annabeth loves Piper there are a few things they vehemently disagree on, sex happens to be at the top of that list. It falls just below expressing emotions and above the N'SYNC & Backstreet Boys debate.

Annabeth is more than willing to admit she has a sexual appetite, she knows what she wants and when. She's just not sure Piper will be ecstatic her appetite now includes Percy. Piper has no problem with anyone getting some, as long as it's from someone you emotionally connect with. Annabeth on the other hand, doesn't think there needs to be an emotional bond, as long as both people are clear on what's happening, there's no harm done. While Piper has never tried to change Annabeth's opinion, it's never been one of her best friends that Annabeth's been sleeping with. One way or another Annabeth is going to have to come clean with Piper, but she decides it might be a good idea to wait until after the engagement party to break the news.

Getting back into the swing of work takes her a while, images of the night before creep into the corners of her mind. Annabeth frequently has to redirect herself back towards her work and away from daydreaming about Percy's shoulders, or his hands, or his lips. By the end of the day she's spent far more time than she'd like to admit thinking about a certain green-eyed firefighter.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse other than I'm complete trash. I'm very, very sorry this took so long to get to you but I do plan on finishing the story.

Getting Piper to buy a work emergency isn’t very hard, Annabeth’s had things come up in the middle of enough girl’s nights for it to be nearly commonplace. The difficult part is getting Piper to agree to tag along and not take a cab to the bar. Annabeth has to bribe Piper with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s to get her to agree and they start heading towards Annabeth’s office. Of course the work emergency is an excuse to divert them to the spot where Jason’s sweating through his shirt waiting for them. Annabeth just hopes he’s remembered the ring.  
Piper’s too focused on grumbling about how far they have to walk and having to wait until the end of the night to get her ice cream to notice that Annabeth has stopped walking. Piper walks directly into Annabeth, letting out a soft curse and stepping back.   
“Did you finally decide the cab’s worth it?” Piper asks, eyebrow quirked.   
Annabeth shakes her head in response, she takes a step to the side and turns so Piper can see past her. As soon as Piper spots Jason her mouth drops open and she lets out a startled gasp.   
"What's going on?" Piper stares at her nervously fidgeting boyfriend, eyes wide.  
Annabeth’s response is to grin and give Piper a shove toward Jason, he takes his cue and steps forward. There's barely any space between the two of them as Jason folds her hands into his, he takes a deep breath and smiles at her.  
"Piper, for the last four years I've been lucky enough to know you. I've gotten to make you smile and laugh, I've gotten to wake up with you in my arms, and I've gotten to fall asleep listening to the beat of your heart. These past few years have been so amazing and I-" There's a hitch in Jason's voice and he pauses, his eyes dropping to their hands. "And I can't imagine the next four years, let alone the rest of my life, without you." Jason sounds like he's about to break and his eyes look he's trying his best to hold back tears.   
Annabeth isn't much better, her teeth are clamped down hard on her lip and her fingernails are digging into her palms. She can feel the tears pooling in her eyes, ready to spill over any second. This moment has been a long time coming and Annabeth had thought she was prepared for it, evidently she wasn't. The practice speeches Jason had sent to her look over had always caused her heart to race, making her break out in a smile that hurt her face but seeing it happen is different. Her best friend is confessing his love to the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with, asking her to be with him forever. Annabeth isn't the staunchest defender of marriage and traditional relationships, but right now, watching the two of them, she understands the draw of building something permanent.   
Jason clears his throat and digs his hand into his pocket, pulling a small velvet box out.   
"Piper McLean," he says lowering himself onto one knee. "Will you marry me?"  
"Yes!" Piper yells and bounces up and down.   
There's the roar of applause from the crowd that's gathered to watch what's happening and Jason slips the ring onto her finger. As soon as it's all the way on her hand Piper launches herself at him, nearly toppling them both over as he stands up. Annabeth wipes at her eyes discreetly and takes a step forward, waiting patiently for her friends to untangle themselves. Piper lets go of Jason suddenly and spins to face her, there's an intensity in Piper's eyes that worries Annabeth for a second. She doesn't have a chance to react before Piper hurls herself at Annabeth, wrapping her in a rib crushing hug.  
"I'm getting married!" Piper shouts in her ear.  
"I know, and I'm so happy for you," Annabeth says with a laugh.   
It takes a long time before Annabeth can pry her friend off of her and hand her back over to her new fiance, both of them then dissolve into a fit of giggles and hand holding. Annabeth gives them another minute to work the adrenaline out of their system before tapping Jason on the shoulder to get his attention.   
“I think there are people inside waiting.” Annabeth gestures to the restaurant where an eager group of friends peers out at them.  
“Right, we should go in,” Jason says still grinning.   
Annabeth pulls the door open for them, letting Piper hurry in but grabbing Jason’s arm before the crowd can suck him in.   
“I haven’t gotten to say congratulations yet,” she says and wraps her arms around his neck. “Piper’s a lucky girl.”   
“I think I’m the luckier one,” Jason says with a laugh.   
“Yeah, I have to agree,” Annabeth deadpans.  
They break the hug and Annabeth slides her arm around Jason’s waist. She watches Piper make her way through the crowd, flashing her ring for everyone to admire.   
“I’m glad we decided against you being the best man, I can’t imagine the speech you’d give.” The corner of Jason’s mouth lifts, giving away the smile he’s holding back.   
“You were going to ask me to be the best man? Was Percy going to be the maid of honor then?”   
“It was our first idea when we started talking about getting married, but then we realized Percy would show up to our wedding in a dress and Piper changed her mind.”   
Annabeth can’t help but laugh at the image in Percy in a bridesmaid’s dress, standing at the altar and holding Piper’s bouquet.   
“Really? I think Percy would look good in a dress, he’s got the legs to pull it off.” She curses herself as soon as the words are out of her mouth, the last thing she needs to be talking about is how well she knows Percy’s body.   
“I think we’ll stick with him in a suit.”   
“Well, I’m honored I was your first choice, but you’re right. I would have embarrassed the crap out of you with my best man's speech.” Annabeth squeezes his side.   
“Don’t worry, I think Piper is gunning for you as maid of honor so you may still get your chance,” Jason says a bit sourly.   
“Perfect,” Annabeth hums.   
They stay there, watching Piper make her rounds and get her hand examined by friends. She throws little love-struck looks Jason’s way every once and a while, her lip pulled between her teeth.   
“Go grab her and we'll sit down,” Annabeth says and gives him a nudge forward. “And remember each of you get a seat so there’s no need for you to share.”   
“No promises,” Jason mutters as he wipes his hands on his legs and heads for his new fiancée.   
They herd everyone into the private room reserved for them in the back and start to slide into seats. Annabeth moves quickly and grabs a chair near the head of the table and the happy couple, a spot fitting Jason’s best friend. There’s the scrape of chair legs being dragged across the floor next to her, a familiar scent of sand and saltwater washing bringing back a rush of memories. Annabeth turns just far enough to spot him out of the corner of her eye and watches him sit down next to her. Part of her soars at the fact that he chose to sit next to her while the rest is acutely aware that Piper ‘I-can-sniff-out-a-relationship-from-a-mile-away’ McLean is sitting a few feet away. The last thing Annabeth needs is Piper catching on to the two of them during her engagement party.   
“If they make one more love-struck, puppy-dog face at each other I may be sick,” Percy mutters.   
Annabeth’s mouth twitches up for a second and she eyes the couple at the head of the table, sure enough they’re staring longingly into each other's eyes.   
“If that’s the case you’re going to be spending most of the night in the bathroom,” she whispers back and Percy huffs out a laugh.   
“Maybe you can help distract me.” There’s no hint of a deeper meaning to his words but Annabeth can’t help but picture a dark corner of the restaurant and pressing herself against him.   
The realization that Piper is going to catch onto them because Annabeth can’t keep her mind from imagining Percy pinned against a wall, settles over her. Her goal shifts from avoidance to damage control, plotting some way to spin this in a more positive light but she struggles. ‘At least he’s not sleeping around with some random hussy’ isn’t nearly as strong as an argument as she could hope for. Annabeth glances over at Piper, still beaming with happiness, and regret bubbles up in her chest. Annabeth can practically feel her friendship with Piper slipping away from her, but despite the guilt over sleeping with Percy she can’t say she’s willing to give him up. That thought adds another layer of worry and panic to the storm brewing inside her.   
Dinner goes by easily enough, filled with small-talk and stories about the couple. More than a few of them embarrassing moments from the early months of Piper and Jason’s relationship when they were love-struck teenagers annoying everyone within twenty feet of them. There’s a handful of times when Percy leans in a little too close to Annabeth or his arm brushes against hers and Annabeth has to try to stifle the heat flaring in her face, spine, stomach. She’s more than thankful that Piper seems happy focusing on her new fiance and not the heat radiating from her skin. She throws little glares at Percy everytime he turns her into a overheated mess but if has any idea he knows what he’s doing to her it doesn’t show. That doesn’t make the situation any better.   
One by one the rest of the guests start to say their goodbye’s and head home, a few stumbling over their own feet and laughing about it. Eventually the only ones left are herself, Percy, Jason and Piper. A ripple of tension runs through her.   
“I should go take care of the bill,” Jason says, standing. “You going to be okay without me?” He directs his comment towards Piper who pouts playfully.   
“If I have to.”   
Jason laughs and bends over to give her a lingering kiss, when he stands back up a idiotic grin splits his face.   
“I’ll go with you, you shouldn’t have to foot the bill on your own engagement party,” Percy says as he stands.   
“It’s fine, I invited everyone out. I really don’t mind paying,” Jason protests and Annabeth catches Piper’s eye roll.   
Percy shakes his head and heads directly for the hostess pulling his wallet from his pocket, Jason hurrying after him with a frown.   
“It’s almost as if they think they’re in charge,” Piper says as soon as they’re out of earshot.   
Annabeth nods but keeps her eyes on Percy until he disappears around the corner.   
“So, how is ‘just dating’ going?” Annabeth turns back to look at Piper, getting a distinct impression that her reaction is being studied.   
“It’s been… interesting.” Annabeth keeps her face as expressionless as she can, placing her forearms on the table.   
“What do you mean interesting?” Piper leans forward, her lips pressing into a thin line.   
Annabeth wipes at imaginary crumbs on the table in front of her.   
“Well, our relationship has…” Annabeth searches for the verbal equivalent of the wire that won't set off the bomb in her face. “We’re kind of not just dating anymore. There’s more to it now.”   
For a split second there’s a look of victory on Piper’s face, the face of a woman that thinks she’s just trumped her best friend.   
“We slept together,” Annabeth says flatly, keeping it a simple statement.   
“You-” Piper’s smile evaporates. “You slept together?”   
“Yes,” Annabeth says tentatively.   
She wants to hold back from saying anything else until she gets a better feel of Piper’s reaction but her friend is staring at her like Annabeth’s started speaking a foreign language. There’s a blank look on Piper’s face and Annabeth can practically hear the gears turning in Piper’s head.   
“So- wait…” Piper shakes her head as if to get her thoughts in place. “You and Percy slept together. How in the hell-” Annabeth watches the words sink in, her friend’s face hardening as realization settles over her.   
The smile Piper had a minute ago has been replaced with a tight lipped scowl.   
“I’m- I’m sorry. This wasn’t the plan and it just-”   
“Don’t say it just happened because you don’t just happen to end up naked in bed with someone.” Piper’s voice has an edge to it, a tone of I-warned-you-not-to-do-this mixed with a hint of how-could-you.   
“Stop scolding me like I’m a child. You’re the one always saying a woman shouldn’t be shamed for her actions.”   
“I don’t care that you got laid, I care that you used my friend to do it,” Piper snaps, pushing back from the table and folding her arms over her chest.   
“I didn’t use him,” Annabeth spits.   
Her blood is rushing in her ears and there’s a bitter taste in her mouth. She’d told herself she would stay calm through this conversation but hearing Piper claim she used Percy pushed her over an edge she didn’t realize existed.   
“I told you this would end up falling apart!” Piper groans.   
“Nothing’s fallen apart! So we slept together, nothing has changed,” Annabeth says defensively.   
“Nothing’s changed? Annabeth this is going to change everything!”   
“I won’t let it.” The words are said with an absolutely certainty that startle her.   
Hurting Piper is not something she takes lightly and walked into this assured she would never let things turn out that way, but now it’s more than that. It’s about not hurting Percy or Piper.   
“So you’ll just control Percy’s feelings for you? Are you going to turn him into a stereotypical guy that want’s nothing more than a good screw and a beer?” Piper’s words have a bite to them that Annabeth tries to ignore but can’t.   
“We’re both adults, we don’t need to run everything by you and Jason.” As soon as she’s spoken she realizes a line has been drawn in the sand, and she’s put Percy on her side of it without asking but she can’t imagine him anywhere else.   
“Fine.” Piper stands up suddenly, shoving herself back from the table. “Good luck.”   
Annabeth clamps her jaw shut, biting down until an ache radiates through her neck. Piper rushes past Annabeth, grabbing Jason’s arm as he steps back into the room and hauling him in the other direction. Annabeth catches Jason shooting her a glance asking what’s happened. All Annabeth can do is give him her best apologetic look and watch them leave. Percy steps into the room as soon as the couple are gone, doing a double take under Piper’s icy cold stare.   
“Is everything okay?” he asks Annabeth softly.   
“No. Not at all,” Annabeth says numbly and drops her head into her hands.


	9. Chapter 9

The door slamming isn't a good sign, neither are the heavy footsteps or long sigh Percy lets out. She twists, throwing her arm over the well worn couch and watching him shrug off his jacket. He pulls off his shoes as he walks, leaving them where they drop. Annabeth resists the urge to chide him, reminding herself that she’s not his girlfriend and, as much time as she’s been spending there, it’s not her apartment. Percy drops onto the couch next to her like a bag of bricks, sinking into the broken in cushions.

“I’m going to venture a guess and say it didn’t go well.” Annabeth tilts forward, waiting for him to spill.

“Ha,” he huffs, reaching up to run a hand through his hair.

Several strands wind up sticking out in odd directions, matching his day-old scruff and wrinkled shirt. Her hand instinctively moves to comb it back down but she stops herself, her fingers curling into a fist that settles back on the couch. Percy takes a deep breath, pushing himself further into the cushions.

“We’re definitely still fighting and she’s definitely still mad.”

Annabeth waits for him to continue but Percy just stares at the coffee table.

“That’s it?” she pries.

Annabeth needs more detail than that if she’s going to figure out her next move.

“Well I tried to explain that it wasn’t a big deal but that made her really mad. She started yelling that is was a big deal. That sleeping with someone is a huge deal for people like us.”

Annabeth’s mind latches onto the statement, trying to dig out what Piper had meant when she’d said that but Percy keeps going.

“And then I got mad and started yelling back that I’m smart enough to make my own choices and can spend time with whoever I want. Then…” Percy trails off, side-eyeing her and swallowing. “Then she said of course I’d say that because I’ve already fallen for you. Things kind of fell apart after that.”

Percy’s shoulders drop in defeat, as if all the hope he’d been carrying is draining away.

“Fallen for me? What, she thinks you love me?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t think to ask. I just argued. I probably made this worse. I’m sorry.”

The tone in his voice makes her heart drop into her stomach.

“You don’t have to apologize. You weren’t the one that ruined her engagement by admitting to her you were sleeping with her best friend.” Annabeth can’t keep the pain from seeping into her voice.

“You didn’t ruin her engagement,” Percy says defensively. “And so what if we slept together? Why should Piper get to decide what we do?”

As crappy as the situation is, hearing Percy say that eases some of the weight in her chest, letting her breath again. She moves closer to him on the couch, until her leg brushes up against his.

“Would you still have slept with me if you knew she’d handle it like this?” Annabeth watches his reaction.

It’s completely an ambush but she needs to know how he feels about this, what he feels about them. The simplest thing to do is still to end things now, to cut off their agreement and apologize to Piper. It would of course mean admitting that Piper was right, which is something Annabeth is far from eager to do but it would end the fighting. Percy and Piper would go back to being friends, Percy would probably save someone from a fire and they’d fall deeply in love like a Nicholas Sparks novel. That thought tightens her stomach until it feels like a lead weight is sitting on top of it.

“Yeah,” Percy says, pulling her from imagining where Percy would be without her around. “I would. I can make my own choices.”

There’s something in his voice that makes it sound like he’s trying to convince himself.

“Why?” He asks, turning towards her. “Do you regret it?”

His worried puppy-dog eyes come out and Annabeth has to keep herself from groaning.

“Yes, Percy. I regret it so much that I keep sleeping with you.” She lets the sarcasm drip off of her words.

“So sorry for asking if you enjoy having sex with me,” Percy says, mimicking her tone.

“You actually said sex, I’m proud of you.”

“Whatever,” he groans, using his elbow to shove her.

Annabeth smirks despite the fact she’s facing a catch-22 situation here. Either she keeps up her deal with Percy and alienates Piper, or ends her deal and loses her friendship with Percy. Neither is an acceptable choice in her mind, she doesn’t like choosing if she can have both options.

Percy grabs the TV remote, changing the channel from the documentary Annabeth was watching and finding something more to his tastes. After he picks out a show he leans towards her, his weight settling against her shoulder. Annabeth waits for him to say anything, do anything, but he stares straight ahead at the TV. She scans the parts of them that touching, thighs, hips, shoulders and lets the gentle pressure sink in. It startles her that this isn’t new for them, whenever they’re together now it’s inevitable that this is where they’ll end up. Any space between them is quickly closed.

She glances around his apartment, trying to figure out when exactly she started feeling so at home here. It’s not that she feels she has any claim to the space, it’s still very much Percy’s, but she feels welcome here.

There’s a nagging pull at the back of her mind, the words from earlier still being turned over by the gears in her head. Piper had said he’d already fallen for her, Piper who’s been friends with Percy for years, thinks he’s in love with her. The warning lights start going off, this is the thing she was worried about. They have rules about this, an agreement that things aren’t serious between them. That things won’t be serious between them and Percy knew that coming into this. She also has an agreement with Piper, a promise Annabeth had made that she wouldn’t let things get this far and that if they did she’d end things with Percy.

The more she thinks about this, examines their relationship, the stronger that nagging pull grows. This isn’t a date, it has nothing to do with Annabeth teaching Percy anything, but here they are. She’s spent the day at his apartment, sitting on his couch waiting for him to get back.

That pull becomes tangible, a radiating pressure that flows down her spine and nestles itself in her shoulders. The weight that she’d managed to shed earlier comes back, settling on her ribs and stifling her lungs. As much as she wants to ignore it, to tuck it away and say it doesn’t matter, a voice tells her there’s more to deal with than an angry friend.

“So what’s the plan?” Percy asks, his voice lighthearted.

Annabeth stares at him a second, searching for the answer to all of this. To the solution she’s adamant exists, the one that will let her keep him.

“I’m not sure yet,” she says softly.  

 

* * *

 

Annabeth stares straight ahead as she walks, the people shoving past her are blurs that she registers but ignores. The noise of the city helps distract her, meshing together to become a white noise that her brain instinctively turns down to a low hum. It’s another task for her mind to work on besides scrutinizing her relationship with Percy.

Which is the reason why she’s spending her evening wandering the streets of Manhattan. She’d planned on doing this at home in the comfort of her apartment where she could take her time but there’d been too many remnants of him. His smell lingers on her pillows and sheets, his clothes lie on the floor of her closet. She tells herself she needs a clear head to handle all of this and that stepping away from him only makes her more objective. It’s been a week since she’s talked to him but somehow he still lingers on her skin.

She can’t help but pick over their last few ‘dates,’ pulling them apart and examining every interaction, every word said and little touch, trying to figure out what they really are. The farther she goes back the more she sees the change in Percy. His touches linger longer, are softer, less hesitant. Everything he does screams of an intimate relationship, of something more than even a friendship. Which is a massive issue, one that should require her to cut ties and walk away but  that’s easier said than done.

While one part of her flags every small sign Percy’s in deeper than he should be and blares a warning, another part refuses to listen. It tells her this can be shifted, steps can be taken to get things back on course. It’s just a matter of shifting the dynamic again, this time away from a scenario where he confesses his love to her. Annabeth runs through what she knows of relationships and psychology, sorting through the information she’s gathered for herself over the years. There’s something she read once about dependency, how people often substitute one dependency for another. The answer that comes to her isn’t one she wants.

The goal of this, of them starting this whole thing, was to get Percy dating ready. To prepare him for the real thing with someone else, someone that isn’t as stubborn or prideful. Someone that can give him the committed, healthy relationship with a big wedding, a picket fence, and the two and a half kids he wants. To prepare him for someone that isn’t her.

She can’t say she deserves any right to claim him, she’s the one that didn’t want him, but Percy spending time with someone else, dating someone else, being with someone else is too much for her to handle. The thought of his lips pressed to someone else’s, his hands on them, the small noises he makes being caused by someone else, causes her fists to clench and mind to spin. This is what causes Annabeth to admit she’s made a misjudgement.

She can see she’s made a shift too. When this arrangement started the questions were poised, directed at getting him used to be under the magnifying glass and comfortable with someone wanting more of him. Now, they’re for her own interests. Little details she craves to know about him, things that could be played off as dating banter but are more than that. When she presses herself against him at night it’s more than sex, more than the need for an orgasm. She needs him, his groans and curses. She uses her hands, her mouth, her everything to pull the little whines and whispered words from him, until it’s her name on his lips.

Annabeth takes a deep breath and curses herself. If she wasn’t so stubborn, so fixated on winning and having it all she could have fixed this before it came a problem. Instead of admitting what was happening and building one relationship she’s nearly ruined three, but there’s a way to fix this and she knows what it is. All she has to do now is convince him she’s worth it.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

As soon as her knuckles hit his door it swings open, as if it had been waiting for her touch. Percy stands behind the open door, blinking at her in surprise. Annabeth wonders how he could be surprised if he knew she was coming but she realizes he has a jacket and his shoes on. He hadn’t been waiting for her to show up, he’d been about to leave to go somewhere.

“Oh, it’s you.” The tone in his voice tells her exactly where he was planning on going.

“Yeah. Look we need to talk,” she says stepping forward, not bothering to ask if she can come in.

Percy stares at her hesitantly, then looks between them and quickly steps back.

“Sure, I was on my way over to get this over with anyways,” he says solemnly, pulling off his jacket.

Annabeth is distracted by the slope of his shoulders for a second and she doesn’t process what he’s said right away.

“Get what over with?” She asks, mind finally grasping the words.

“This,” he says bleakly, leaning up against the wall on his left that separates the bathroom from the living space. “I get it. This was too good to be true anyways.”

Her brow furrows, trying to pinpoint exactly what he means by ‘this.’

“Thank you, for everything. I appreciate the help you gave me and-” he cuts off, glancing at her and blushing slightly. “Anyways, you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll get over you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” A hint of anger slips into her voice.

“You haven’t talked to me in a week. Haven’t answered my calls, or texts, or anything. You disappeared and I get it. We’re over. There, you didn’t have to be the one to do it.”

Her mind reels, taking in everything he’s saying. Annabeth stares at him, her eyebrows knit together. After a second he lets out a huff, pushing himself away from the wall.

“Look, you don’t have to worry about me. I knew our agreement and knew what I was getting into when I fell for you. So there’s no need to let me down easy or give me whatever speech you have prepared.”

“Are you kidding me?” Annabeth blurts out. “You think I came all the way over here to end things so you’re what, breaking up with me?”

“Well we were never really dating were we?” He says a bit snidely, causing Annabeth to clench her fists.

She wants to take smack him in the back of the head for not getting it. After all these weeks he’s still so dense that he doesn’t understand she’s come running to his door to tell him she wants the real thing, to stop pretending, and he’s breaking up with her.

“Gods you frustrate the shit out of me,” she growls.

“I’m sorry alright. I thought I’d make this easier on you and save you the hassle but if you want to be the one to end things go ahead. You’re probably the one that decides when all of your relationships are over, aren’t you?”

Annabeth’s eyes go wide. The fact that he’s right doesn’t make her any less offended, especially that he thinks she’s so petty that she has to be the one that breaks things off.

“Now you can go back to your life without me, you don’t have to worry about taking care of me. No hard feelings.” The hurt in Percy’s voice is all too obvious.

“You’re right Percy,” she says bitterly. “I did come here to tell you our arrangement is over. But it’s because I want something more, you jackass!” Her voice rises as she speaks until she’s shouting loud enough for the entire floor to hear.

There’s a stupid, blank look on his face and he stares at her like she’s just said the most ridiculous thing in the world to him. Then he squints, his eyes running over her as if he’s looking for some sign she’s lying.

“Why the hell would you want that?” he shouts the words back at her, his voice full of confusion.

“Maybe it’s because I love you!” she shouts the words at him before her filter can process them.

She’d come here expecting to work things out easily, to confess her feelings in a dignified manner and talk about where they’re going from here. Of course that’s not how it works out though. She hadn’t expected to get angry at him, but she also hadn’t expected the idiot to try and break up with her.

“Well maybe I love you too.”

The admission hits her like a ton of bricks. He loves her but he’d still been prepared to walk away, to tear apart their relationship and make himself the bad guy. All to make things easier on her. She wonders if she’s supposed to be touched by that, swoon over the fact he’d be so selfless but instead she just gets angrier. He loved her and was going to let her leave, toss away their future because they’re both so damn stubborn. She lets that anger out as she slams the door behind her and closes the distance between them to catch him in a kiss.

Annabeth presses her lips hard enough into his that she fears they’ll bruise, only breaking the kiss when her lungs feel as if they’ve collapsed in on themselves.

“You still frustrate the shit out of me,” she growls through panted breaths.

“Shut up, Chase,” he says, breath washing over her face.

“Make me,” she taunts.

He’s the one that initiates the kiss this time, pressing into her as hard as she pressed into him earlier. Annabeth feeds off the fear and anger of facing him try and dump her, drains every emotion from the thought of him walking away and pours it into the kiss. She bites and pulls at his lip, scraping the sensitive skin with her teeth. Percy lets out a groan that rumbles through his chest and slips his hands around her ass. He cups her with his hands and lifts her easily, turning around and heading further into his apartment. Annabeth expects them to go straight to his bed but something thumps into his legs and he drops her. She gasps and expects to fall all the way to the mattress on the floor in the corner of his studio apartment, but the drop only lasts a split second before she hits the hard edge of the back of his couch.

She grabs his buckle of his belt with one hand, slipping the other under his shirt and teasingly dragging her nails down his back. She manages to get his belt, button, and zipper undone with one hand. His already hardening cock points out at her, waiting for her to wrap her fingers around it but before she can he catches her wrist. Percy finally breaks their kiss, pulling her hand away from him and dropping to his knees in front of her. He slips his fingers inside the waist of her jeans and panties and tugs, slipping them down her legs to coil around her ankles. She’s about to remark on the fact that he’s just trapped her legs together when he spreads her knees and lifts, settling her legs on his shoulders. Annabeth gasps as his mouth closes on her center, sucking at her clit and pinching it between his lips. She bucks against him, shoving her hips forward and pushing him further into her.

Percy doesn’t hold back, sucking, pulling, flicking. Everything he can to wrack her body with uncontrollable spasms. Annabeth’s fingers tighten around the edge of the couch, muscles squeezing until her arms shake. She fights to hold back the noises building in her throat, not wanting to let him win, to hold out long enough for him to give up. This causes the waves of pleasure to build inside of her, trapped without any escape of release until they build on one another and finally slam into her like a tidal wave. One hand moves from the couch to curl into the hair at the back of his head, her legs tensing and locking him in place. She curls forward, the moan finally breaking free of her throat as she breaks under the unrelenting assault. Her legs seize and lock up, her chest tightening until she can’t breathe. The orgasm rolls through her quickly, taking everything out of her as it finishes.

Percy waits long enough for the final flickers of her climax to finish before moving away, lifting her knees off of his shoulders and letting her feet drop back to the cold laminate floor. She’s still catching her breath as he stands and grabs her hips, pulling her and spinning her so she’s facing away from him. He pins her to the back of the couch, his fingers curling around her hip and thumb digging into her ass. He pushes into her in one hard thrust, burying himself inside of her and drawing a groan from her lips. Percy starts a hard, quick pace that has the couch shifting forward with every thrust. It’s difficult to keep her feet under her as the couch moves forward and slowly she bends forward, pushing her ass towards him and helping every thrust push a little deeper. By the time his grip becomes desperate and fierce she’s gasping with every thrust, her knees buckling under her. Annabeth has to hurry this along before she crumples under his touch like hot iron so she arches her back, shifts her hips to increase the friction as he slides inside of her, and glancing back at him over her shoulder. She focuses her cooling anger into her eyes and glares him down, daring him to last a second longer. The combined effect does it and Percy’s rhythm comes to a screeching hault. His long, intentional thrusts become short and ragged. The next one seeming to start before the previous one finishes and he twitches inside of her. Annabeth grins as she watches him break, pushing forward a few more quick times before his spine goes limp and he leans forward. His forehead rests on her shoulder blade and Annabeth savors the feeling.

“So,” he says breathily. “Does that count as make-up sex?”

“I think so,” she responds, shifting her hips and making them both whine.

“Good, then we can start with the officially-a-couple sex.”

Annabeth laughs and feels the last of her raging emotions dissolve away on the high of his touch, knowing it’s only going to get better from here.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

Annabeth enjoys the feel of the warm sunlight on her face and Percy’s fingers running through her hair. The tiny part of her that’d been gearing up to lose this, to lose him, shudders. She listens to the steady beat of his heart in the ear she has pressed against his ribs, her head rising and falling with his breathing. She sleeps better this way, with something solid and real beneath her fingers.

“I don’t think I’ll get used to this.” Percy’s voice rumbles through his chest.

“Get used to what?” she asks, keeping her eyes closed against the morning sunlight.

“Waking up next to you.” There’s awe and disbelief in his voice.

Annabeth opens her eyes to stare at him, the yellow light coming in through the window behind his bed lighting his hair and softening his features. He has a strand of her hair in his hand, one of her curls pinched between his thumb and forefinger. His green eyes are gold-lit in this light as he focuses on her golden hair.

“Why is that so hard to believe?” She lifts her head off of his chest and watches him, flicking her gaze between his eyes.

Percy shrugs, dropping her hair and looking away.

“Hey,” Annabeth says softly.

She pushes herself up and crawls over him, bracketing his hips with her knees and placing a hand on either side of his head. Annabeth’s hair tumbles down around them, blocking everything out except for the narrow space between their faces.

“Percy why aren’t you going to get used to waking up next to me?”

There’s nowhere for his eyes to run to this time, he’s forced to look directly at her. Her eyes bore into his, demanding he explain himself.

“Honestly, I never thought I’d get this lucky. To have someone as incredible as you.” The honesty in her voice rips at her heart.

It feels like molten bronze has been poured directly into a hole in her chest. Her breathing stops for a second, chased out of her by his words. She ducks her head, closing her eyes and letting her forehead rest against against his.

“Well you do. And if you try and play the hero card-” Annabeth opens her eyes, giving him a hard glare.

“Yeah, I learned my mistake. I’m not gonna be trying to break up with you again anytime soon.” He smiles shyly and Annabeth eases up on her glare.

“Good, I spent long enough teaching you. I’d hate to have to find someone else and go through all of this again.” She gives him a wry smile, watching his brows furrow and his eyes narrow.

“Real funny,” he huffs.

“Percy,” she drops the humor from her voice. “I never thought I’d have someone like you either.”

Percy wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her to his chest without saying a word. He tilts his head and catches her lips with his, kissing her slowly but firmly. He rolls them over so he’s on top of her, pinning her to the bed with his weight as he starts to deepen the kiss.

“Nope. Not happening, Jackson,” she says against his lips.

“What?” he protests and goes in for another kiss.

“If you start kissing me then I’m going to start undressing you and then we’ll be stuck here all day.”

“S’okay with me,” he mumbles.

“Oh trust me, I know it is. But we have things we need to talk about.” She slips her hands under his chest and pushes up, working some room between them.

“Right now?”

“Like I said, kissing, clothes, all day. So yeah, right now.”

Percy eases back above her, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees.

“Okay, so what do we need to talk about?”

Annabeth wiggles out from under him, pulling Percy’s pillows back to prop herself up. Percy uses the chance to roll over onto his back and lay between her legs, lazily running his hand along her leg.

“We need to talk about us,” she says, running a hand through his hair and watching it flow between her fingers. “About what we want out of this.”

“I just want you,” he says quickly.

Annabeth leans forward until she’s looming over him. She wants to tell him that’s not good enough, that they need a plan and goals and definitions but she loses all of that in his eyes, in the love she sees in them.

“I want you too,” she whispers.

Percy smiles and runs his fingertips along her cheek.

“But I guess we should figure out what exactly we are now, huh?”

“Yeah,” she breathes out a small laugh. “We should. So Percy Jackson, am I a booty call?”

“What, no. No,” he blurts, eyes going wide.

“Then what am I to you?”

Percy hesitates for a second, eyes roaming her face.

“Everything.”

Annabeth’s heart melts. She sincerely wonders to herself how no one else found him before her, or why it took her so long to realize she was meant for him.

“Anything more specific?” she prompts.

“Do- do you want to meet my mom?” Percy swallows as soon as he’s asked the question.

Annabeth blinks, letting the implications of his words settle in and turn to a warm, tingling sensation. She takes a deep breath, pushing away the smile for a moment and turning her face serious.

“Percy what do you want? I pushed the agreement on you and I don’t want to do that again. So are you saying you want me to meet your mom?”

She watches him chew at his lip for a second, obviously trying to find the right words.

“I want you to meet my mom,” he says definitively.

“And what exactly, are you going to introduce me as to your mom?”

“My girlfriend,” he says easily. “My very serious girlfriend.”

The word resonates in her mind. Somehow sounding perfect as it falls off of his lips. The ‘serious’ part an added bonus that practically tickles her pink. Annabeth enjoys the title, Girlfriend. It feels like nights spent in, childhood movies, and homemade dinners. All things she could definitely get used to, things she can see herself doing with Percy.

Though the idea of meeting the woman that raised him, that managed to mold him into the perfect gentleman resting between her legs, starts to overwhelm her. Annabeth’s never met a boyfriend’s mom before, never had a boyfriend serious enough to warrant it. Now she’s going to meet with Percy’s mom, a woman who must be an absolute saint.

“I’d like that,” she hums. “Girlfriend. Your girlfriend. Which would make you my boyfriend.” Annabeth practically purrs the word, watching the stupid goofy grin appear on his face.

“My mom’s going to love you. You’ll be able to talk with her about books and stuff I can’t. And you’re gorgeous. And way out of my league.”

“This sounds like a list of reasons you love me.” Annabeth leans back and continues running her fingers through his hair.

“She’ll love you because I love you,” he says easily.

Annabeth feels her stomach float into her throat. Hearing him say it is still new, still brings a rush to her blood and a strange lightheadedness. It’s easy enough to piece it all together now and see the development, watch the replay of Percy fall a little further for her with every date. Though it’s hard to tell someone’s falling in love with you in the moment, especially when you’re falling too.

“You know, there is someone else we need to talk to,” she says slowly, not trying to scare him.

“Who do we- oh, oh yeah. Piper.” His eyes darken slighlty.

“Piper and Jason. We owe them a big explanation. And maybe an apology.” The word is a bit bitter but she’s not sure if it’s because of what she did or because she doesn’t want to admit it.

“Gods she’s never going to let me live this down,” Percy groans and throws his arm over his eyes. “Please don’t tell me we have to do that today.”

“No. That’s a very long talk for another day that’s definitely not today.”

Percy nods his head against her.

“So what’s left today? Or can we…” Percy trails off and peeks out at her.

Annabeth grabs a pillow from behind her and smacks him with it. Muffling the ‘oof’ sound he makes when the pillow lands on his face.

“What’s left is you’re taking your girlfriend out for a very nice date. Someplace she can wear a dress,” she says sliding out from under him and letting his head hit the bed.

“Yeah?” He asks a little too eager.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that my boyfriend is pretty good at this dating thing. Had a really good mentor from what I hear.” She tosses the statement over her shoulder as she grabs her keys off the side table where she left them.

Annabeth doesn’t fail to notice the way his eyes follow her as she walks or the sensation that runs up her spine because of it. The only thing keeping her from crawling back into his bed and staying there the rest of the day is the idea of having a date with him. A real one this time.

 

  
  



	12. Chapter 12

“Listen, Jackson, I get you’re saving kittens from trees or helping little old ladies across the street but you were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago. If have to deal with this alone it’s going to be a long time before you see me naked again, do you understand? Get here, now.”

Annabeth ends the call and leans her head back against the wall. She’s camped outside Jason and Piper’s apartment, waiting for her boyfriend to show up so they can break the news to their respective best friends. There’s been a brick sitting on Annabeth’s stomach since she and Percy agreed to do this. Rationally there’s no reason Piper shouldn’t be okay with this, she was the one pushing them to make the relationship between them real. Annabeth knows things won’t just work rationally, life would be so much easier if they did but they won’t. In the week she realized she cared about Percy she’d come to realize other things too, one of them being that she needs Piper more than she’s willing to admit.

When the thirty minutes passes with still no sign of her boyfriend Annabeth gives up on waiting for Percy. Something needs to be done and she’s already here. She takes a deep breath and readies herself for the shit storm she’s about to walk into.

She knocks hard on the door and waits, hearing a grunt and the sound of bare feet on hardwood floor. There’s the thunk of the deadbolt turning before the door swings open to reveal a scowling Piper.

“I’m not interested in the details of you and Percy doing it.” It’s a lot nicer of a greeting than Annabeth had expected.

“That’s not why I’m here.”

“Oh, so then you’re here to tell me you’re sleeping with another one of my friends?”

Annabeth winces, biting her tongue to keep herself from shooting back some smart ass comment and reminding herself why she’s here.

“I never meant to hurt Percy, I didn’t. I still don’t. But we’re-”

“Adults and you can make choices for yourselves,” Piper says, cutting her off. “Or so you say.”

Annabeth clenches her fists until her nails are biting into her palms.

“Would you just let me talk?” she snaps at Piper.

“Why? So you can convince me that this is a good idea? Or so you can explain how having sex with Percy is good for both of you? Maybe you just want to tell me that you know everything and-”

“I love him,” Annabeth almost growls the words, her voice low and fierce.

“You… you what?” Piper’s mouth hangs open, ready to catch flies.

“Can I come inside so we can talk?” Annabeth glances up and down the narrow hallway.

There’s a lot she needs to explain to Piper and she doesn’t exactly want the entire floor to know about it.

“S-sure,” Piper says, nodding stiffly.

She steps out of the way and lets Annabeth past her into the apartment. Annabeth watches her closely, almost hearing Piper’s brain try and process the massive bomb Annabeth just dropped on her. If Piper’s already struggling to keep up now, Annabeth wonders how she’ll handle the fact that they’re a real couple.

Piper closes the door and locks it before walking over to the couch and dropping down onto it.

“You love him?” There’s more than a little surprise and disbelief in her voice.

Annabeth takes a seat on the other end of the couch, memories of the last time the fought and wound up here coming back to her. It feels ridiculous to her that they’re here again, fighting over the same issue all because of Annabeth’s stubbornness. This time she’d determined things will get dealt with.

“Yes.” Annabeth does her best to make the answer solid and firm, trying to get Piper to believe her.

Piper groans, running her hands over her face and slouching. Annabeth frowns at her friend, she’d expected Piper to be a bit happier about this.

“I swear to god, if the two of you run around for another three months playing the ‘but do they love me’ game I’m going to-”

“I’ve already told him.” Annabeth cuts Piper off, a blush rising to her cheeks as she speaks.

It’s a mix of embarrassment about how it happened and what happened after that makes her avert her eyes from her friend.

“You what?” Piper shouts loud enough to make Annabeth wince. “You told Percy you love him?”

“It kind of came out. He was trying to break up with me and I got upset and-” Annabeth struggles to fill Piper in and make sense of it all.

“He was trying to what?” Piper stares at her wide eyed, an eyebrow quirked.

“There’s a lot to fill you in on but I need to say something first.” Annabeth takes a breath, giving Piper a chance to say something to stop her or throw her bout but Piper keeps quiet. “I’m sorry. We didn’t handle things well- I didn’t handle things well- and it caused all of this,” Annabeth says, gesturing to the space between them. “I don’t want to fight with you anymore, and I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, for what happened at your engagement party.” Annabeth’s eyes prickle with the burning promise of tears.

“I could have been a better friend, Piper. I should have been a better friend.” Annabeth clamps down on the tears, refusing to let them break and guilt Piper into forgiving her.

“I pushed you too hard. It’s just,” Piper huffs out a frustrated groan. “I knew, knew, you two were perfect for each other and you wouldn’t listen. I just wanted you guys to give it a real chance but I pushed it on you and that wasn’t fair either. You are adults and needed to figure things out for yourself, but it was so hard knowing I was right.”

“Not so easy is it?” Annabeth jokes, tears still burning at the corners of her eyes.

“Oh shut up,” Piper says and tosses a pillow at her.

Annabeth lets out a choked laugh, brushing away the dampness of her eyes quickly. They both sit there, the silence hanging over them like an awkward weight neither of them wants to deal with. Annabeth doesn’t expect things between them to just be perfect, to fall back into place where they were before all of this but she wants – needs – Piper back. Things with Percy are a lot to deal with and Piper is Annabeth’s emotional sounding board.

“We good?” Piper asks softly, scooting a little closer to Annabeth.

“No,” Annabeth says seriously. “Your engagement party-”

“Wouldn’t have happened without you. Jason proposing wouldn’t have happened without you,” Piper say just as seriously. “And that’s nothing compared to what my mom and Jason’s dad have done.”

Annabeth raises an eyebrow at Piper, silently asking her to explain.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Piper shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “I just want my friend back.”

“I’m definitely back, and I’m sorry.” Annabeth reaches out and squeezes her friend’s hand.

“Me too,” Piper says, wrapping her arms around Annabeth tight enough to make her ribs hurt but Annabeth hugs back just as fiercely.

They sit in silence for a moment again, this time much less awkward. Annabeth lets the relief wash over her, Piper will still get back at her for this and probably never let her live down the fact she was right, but Annabeth can live with that.

“So you told a guy you love him.” Piper moves even closer to Annabeth on the couch, kicking her legs up to rest on Annabeth’s knees. “Spill.”

“I was going to tell him that I wanted something serious, an actual relationship.” Piper beams at the words, I-told-you-so written all over her face. “But,” Annabeth continues pointedly, “before I could say anything he tried to break up with me. Then I may have started yelling and that’s when I told him.”

“Oh my god,” Piper says dramatically. “Two weeks, not even that, and you fall apart without me. Wait, why was he trying to break up with you? What did you do?” Piper narrows her eyes at Annabeth.

“I may not have talked to him for a week while I was trying to figure things out,” Annabeth admits a little timidly.

Piper groans again, burying her face into the back of the couch.

“Do you see what I have to deal with?” Piper complains to an empty room, her words muffled by the cushions. “So,” Piper turns to head to stare at Annabeth. “What did the doofus say when you told him?”

Annabeth smiles, ducking her chin to her chest.

“He said it back. He actually admitted he’d fallen for me first.”

“Ha!” Piper shouts. “I told him. I so told him!” Piper grins at Annabeth with pride. “And then what happened, or do I want to know?”

Annabeth’s face warms and she tosses the pillow back at Piper.

“Shut up,” she says, a smile still on her lips.

“God you two are gross.”

“I shared an apartment with Jason while you two were dating. I’m just getting my revenge for years of having to listen to you two through the walls.” Piper’s darker complexion doesn’t make her immune to the blush that spreads across her face and neck.

“Oh god, how much did you hear?”

“More than I can ever forget,” Annabeth deadpans.

Piper covers her face with her hands and flops back on the couch, muttering something to herself that sounds like a plea for a quick death.

“Hey, Pipes,” Annabeth says softly.

Piper lifts her head, looking at Annabeth between cracks in her fingers.

“I missed you.” Annabeth almost whispers the words, saying them just loud enough to be heard.

Guilt still sits like a lead weight in her stomach over what happened, how it happened, but she’s resolved to make it up to her friends. They’ve been there for her for years, and they only wanted the best for her, even if they tried to force it upon her.

Piper moves her hands from her face and props herself up on her elbows, her eyes softening as she looks at Annabeth and her mouth pressing into a thin lipped smile.

“I missed you too.”

Annabeth smiles at her friend, glad that the weight of worry she’s been carrying around for the last few weeks has melted away.

“So what happens with you and Percy now? Because we can totally do a double wedding-”

Annabeth shoves Piper’s legs off of her lap with a laugh.

“We’re not ready for that yet, but he wants me to meet his mom.”

“She’s gonna love you, probably even more than she loves me,” Piper says easily, placing her feet back on Annabeth’s lap.

“I hope so,” Annabeth mutters, mostly to herself.

“Hey,” Piper says, gently nudging Annabeth with her foot. “Sally is going to adore you, don’t worry.”

Annabeth nods, the anxiety of impressing her boyfriend’s mom gnawing at her nerves.

“Let’s talk about something else,” Piper offers.

“Like what?” Annabeth asks, absentmindedly tickling Piper’s feet.

“How about the fact I have to plan a wedding and I’m absolutely screwed.” Piper’s voice is filled with exhaustion and defeat.

“I may be able to help with that,” Annabeth squeezes Piper’s foot and offers her a reassuring smile.

“Do you have a venue, caterer, photographer, videographer, DJ, and invitations already picked out?” Piper asks dryly.

“No, but I have it narrowed down to just a couple for each. And a couple color pallets I think you’ll like and I found a dress designer I think you’re going to love.” Piper’s head snaps up as Annabeth speaks, her eyes glazing over with awe. “As soon as Jason told me he was going to propose I got to work. The decisions will be yours but I wanted to narrow it down so you didn’t-”

“I freaking love you,” Piper blurts and Annabeth laughs. “If I hadn’t already said yes to Jason I’d propose to you right now.”

“I’m flattered, but I couldn’t steal you away from him. He’d be useless without you.” They both laugh and Annabeth feels another weight lift from her heart.

Things feel easier after that, almost back to normal. Annabeth tries to talk to Piper about wedding planning but the bride-to-be quickly gets annoyed and starts answering questions with ridiculous answers. Annabeth gives up after Piper tells her she wants to walk down the aisle to Polka. Piper turns on the tv and gets sucked into a daytime soap that is riddled with plot holes and inconsistencies Annabeth gets too interested in pointing out and fixing. She’s sucked into finding out who killed Sierra, or if Sierra is really dead, when her phone starts to ring and makes her jump.

Annabeth fishes it out of her pocket with a frown, expecting Percy to finally be calling her back after standing her up, but she doesn’t recognize the number that appears on her screen.

“Hello?” Annabeth answers, Piper mutes the tv and looks at her quizzically.

“Hello, is this Annabeth?” A woman’s voice asks.

“Yes. May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Sally.” Annabeth’s heart comes to a grinding halt. “Something happened with Percy. You need to come to the hospital.”


End file.
